Bus

To save money, Todd and I took the local bus in Florida to the airport our last day in Ft. Lauderdale.  By doing so, we saved over $20, and we met a handful of incredible people.  I am not the type of person who is outgoing and can talk to anyone.  If I don’t know someone, I clam up and mind my own business – and I want them to mind their own business.  Todd, on the other hand, will talk to anybody.

While we were on the bus, we talked to several different people.  We got their life stories, and they got ours.  It was a blast talking to several different people at different times on our “bus tour.” 

One gentleman came down to visit his father over 5 years ago, and ended up staying in Florida.  He talked about how he hates living paycheck to paycheck, but he loves it down there in Florida.  It is VERY expensive there.  Restaurants are over-priced, heck, even the WalMart was overpriced compared to Ohio!  A 2-litre of pop was over $2 there. 

Another gentleman we met had his car in the shop, which is why he was riding the bus.  He pays $1700/month in rent for his apartment on the beach.  Todd and I looked at each other with large eyes.  We pay 1/6^th of that for our MORTGAGE.  But the gentleman insisted that it was a good price for an apartment on the beach.

Another woman (with no teeth, mind you,) was talking about how she works with the homeless.  She was telling us stories about the people she works with.  It was quite inspiring.

Each of these people, I would never have said “hello” to if passing on the street.  To be honest, I judged them a little too harshly upon first glance.  I think that if Todd and I were to live in Ft. Lauderdale, we’d be friends with each and every one of these people.  They were so nice, so generous, and just left a smile on my face.  When each of them got off of the bus, they would wave to us and wish us well on our “journey” back home.

The world is made up of some truly incredible people…if only we would take the initiative and time to let them tell their story.  Oh, and in my case, if only I can do better not to judge.  I judged them before I even knew them without even realizing it.