Had a quick chat with a bus driver that stuck with me for years

I was riding the 44 bus home in Portland back in 2018 when the driver, Frank, pointed out I was always looking at my phone instead of the city. He said 'you're missing all the good stuff out there' and nodded at the window. That comment made me put my phone down for the rest of the ride, and I noticed little details I never saw before. Has anyone else had a stranger say something simple that just clicked with you?

3 comments

3 Comments

lilya761mo ago

@seth_shah must be really fun at parties with that galaxy brain take.

seth_shah1mo ago

Respectfully, I see it the other way. My phone lets me connect with people and learn things that aren't stuck in my own little bubble of a city bus. Maybe Frank was right that you miss some stuff, but you also gain a whole world that's way bigger than a street corner.

the_harper1mo ago

@the_harper idk man, is it really that deep? like yeah phones let you talk to people far away, but when was the last time you had a real convo with a random stranger on the bus? probably never because everyone's face is in their phone. @seth_shah i get what you're saying about learning stuff, but half the time i'm just scrolling memes or watching cat videos, not exactly expanding my horizons. you might be missing out on some good stories or weird moments right in front of you for a bunch of tiktoks you'll forget in 5 minutes.