September 15, 2006

By CARLA SAULTER

I spent my first summer after college — the time between graduation and starting my teaching job — working as a receptionist for a construction firm in downtown Houston. The job lasted only a couple of months, and I hardly remember anything more about it than the name of the company. But ten years later, I still remember the man who got me there. I rode the #30 from my garage apartment in Third Ward right to the front door of the firm’s building. The driver of that particular #30 was born for his job. He greeted every passenger with a smile and a “How you doin’ today?” and almost without exception, he would receive a smile in return. Throughout the ride, he would talk to us over the PA and sometimes even lead songs.

I called him Preacher because he didn’t spare the “God bless yous,” and, nine times out of 10, the songs he led had something to do with Jesus. Though I don’t generally approve of this kind of religious expression in such a public context, his approach was not in any way oppressive or coercive, and I appreciated the positive energy. Seeing him became something I looked forward to, a reason to make it to the stop on time.

In the years since Preacher, I’ve had various “favorite” drivers. These days, I have two. The first I call Smooth Jazz. He usually drives the #4 (though I’ve seen him on a #3 or #2), and he usually drives at night. Smooth Jazz is as cool and laid back as they come. Every time I ride his bus, he’s playing jazz — just loud enough for everyone to hear — from a radio in the front. When you get on, he nods once and raises his eyebrows, silently but firmly imparting the rules of his Smooth Jazz world: No funny business — just lean back, chill, and enjoy the ride. The thing is, folks do just that.

My other favorite driver is Tour Guide, a youngish, pony-tailed type with a sense of humor. Tour Guide drives different routes — mostly in-city trolleys — but he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the stops on whichever route he is driving, and he adds a special flavor to the way he announces them. The County Jail, for example, is the “school for the legally challenged (scholarships available!),” while Broadway is “home of all things strange and wonderful.” Tour Guide talks for most of the ride, always in a quiet, pleasant voice that doesn’t interrupt or distract. Passengers pick up on his jokes at various points, chuckling to themselves or jabbing fellow riders to repeat what they heard.

Despite their different styles, Preacher, Smooth Jazz, and Tour Guide share one thing in common: Their personalities are transformative, influencing the moods and attitudes of their passengers, and, as a result, the atmospheres of the buses they drive. I hope they know what a difference they make.