Bye Bye Car

Yesterday, our 3 week anniversary of arriving in NJ, we had to take the rental car back to the Newark airport. I didn't realize how used to having a car I am! I haven't really ever been without one except for a brief period in college. The kids and I have taken the subway a few times, more for fun than necessity, as in we parked carefully within a block of the subway access, took it downtown where parking was more of a problem and then returned to the car uneventfully. Brett, on the other hand, has had a more realistic indoctrination into transit. He sometimes has to wait in the cold for bus transfers that didn't work out quite right, he has to talk to both NJ and NY transit people since they aren't necessarily linked together, and overall he has spent hours looking at trip planning websites, studying schedules and reviewing maps.
Well, last night was my turn. I dropped the car off at the airport then went out to the bus stop to wait for my bus. As I approached the plexiglass enclosure with benches, I noted that I was the only Caucasian in the group of about 7 people waiting. We were in a back corner behind the airport terminal, and I felt small and sort of helpless. Like really, I wasn't confident that this was the right bus, or that the route would truly get me home or what time exactly it was coming. There was grafitti and garbage and it didn't feel what you would call safe and homey.
This enormous African American guy said "What are you doing out there?"
My heart skipped a beat and I thought Great! I'm going to get mugged right here.
Then he continued: "Come on in, there is room for more and maybe if we are all inside the bus stop we can keep each other warm!"
Everyone laughed and I joined them inside the enclosure. There was friendly banter and someone helped confirm that I was in the right place. When I got to my transfer, I was 2 minutes late for my next bus, so I had to wait an hour for the next one. After another bus ride and an 8 block walk I arrived home to our warm little house around 9 PM.
Today I went apartment hunting on my own (we have decided that it is an activity that is absolutely no fun with kids). My afternoon started out by me waiting for the bus only to discover that I was waiting on the wrong side of the street (the bus takes the Lincoln Tunnel, not the Holland Tunnel!) and the bus flew by without stopping since I wasn't waiting at the correct stop. Since they only run once an hour on the weekends, I went back home to wait in warm and comfort before venturing out again. Sigh.
Tomorrow I get to do my first grocery shopping trip by bus, with kids in tow. That should be fun. Will let you know how it goes. The grocery store is less than a mile away, but too far to walk with the little ones in the cold with wind chill.
And my lesson for the day on apartment hunting? If you see a deal that looks too good to be true, it probably is. I followed this bizarre broker around to see 6 absolutely horrific apartments on the Upper West Side with a group of about 15 other (really cool actually) people all looking for the same type of apartments. As I was walking to catch up with the group, this guy and his 100 pound Rottweiler said "Are you looking for an apartment? Are you following a strange man around that walks really fast and shows you horrible apartments?" Yes, I laughed, how did you know? Apparently this guy had the same tour a year ago when he was looking for his place. While we were talking, his dog kept lunging at other dogs and passers-by and he would say "Baby, don't do that!" Then he would give the dog a dog treat. Talk about positive reinforcement. Then he told me that his landlord is remodeling another apartment in the building he lives in and he is helping to find tenants, but he is taking a $1,600 commission. "I just want to find someone cool to be my neighbor. And Baby here, he is kind of picky." Just in case you are wondering, I declined his offer to follow him home and see the apartment. :)