Hipchick Takes the Bus...

This is just another entry in the ongoing saga that is my new life in France.

I moved to France to work with Autistic kiddies and perfect my French. I found a way to combine 2 things that mean a lot to me... Children with Autism and France. I can not explain my love affair with France because I do not know when it began. I know it was way before I ever set foot here back in 2001.

I digress...

So I moved here and my very first client lives in the country.... meaning RURAL. This means that Hipchick (who lives in town) has to take the bus out to the country... everyday ( well OK, 5 days a week) ! Well, this requires a lot of planning and research, and coordination. The Mom ( the Kid's mother) was nice enough to do all the grunt work and all I had t do was get on the bus.

Sounds easy? Yeah well, all I can say is that it sounds easy on paper... and that's about it! Here is the game plan to get Hipchick to work:

Take the A bus to Caudebec Mairie ( City hall)
Get off at Cerisaie ( stadium)
Walk 1 block, Turn Right on Andre Maurois to Champ de Foire (fairgrounds)
Take 150B bus to Bourgetheroulde Mairie ( city hall)

Well that was what I had planned to do, and I thought it'd be easy since it sounded so simple. Getting to the Champ de Foire was easy... I'd say a no-brainer even...
But getting that 2nd bus to Bourgetheroulde was straight up crazy!

After waiting for 20+ minutes a bus numbered 150B arrived at my stop and I happily boarded the bus. I will admit that I was thinking the whole taking the bus thing wasn't gonna be so bad.

The Driver didn't understand me when I asked to buy a carnet (book) of 10 trips. He looked at me like I was crazy and whistled...

Just gimme the fucking book already and save your comments! So he pulled out the book but wouldn't let me purchase because his machine was broken. So... I got to ride the bus for FREE. Ordinarily this would be a great thing. But I should have known then to get off this bus.... cause there is NO SUCH THING AS A FREE BUS RIDE!

The bus was taking the what seemed to be the normal route to get to The Kid's house. Then all of a sudden it took a turn. I didn't think anything of this because most buses take additional turns to cover other aspects of the route. Hey I'm new here... what do I know? Everything was kosher until the bus stopped... and I was NOWHERE near the Bourgetheroulde city hall!

I looked at the driver and he nicely told me that we were at the end of the line. THE END OF THE LINE?

WTF? I am supposed to be going to Bourgetheroulde! I had no clue about where I was, but I got off the bus and started walking. It is here that I should add that it is about 7:30 am, cold and foggy with zero visibility! Yeah, you know I was bitter.

Come to find out I was about 3 miles from Bourgetheroulde. So Hipchick started hoofin' it!
No problem, it's foggy, cold, and I have no idea what the phone number of the family is to call them!
Ok, just keep walking.... something will come to you.

So I keep walking and eventually I walk to another bus stop. Wouldn't you know that the bus only comes once in the morning!
Shite! Keep walking....

I stopped and asked a girl if she was waiting for the bus... she said yes but it was the bus back to town... No good, I need to get to Bourgetheroulde... So I keep walking!

Eventually the sidewalk disappears (cause hey, it's the country...the sheep don't need sidewalks!) and Hipchick is left to walk on the side of the road. I walk along the side of the road for about 1 mile until I hear a car honk at me.

I look up and see that The Dad has come searching for me and has found me on the road. He pulled onto a side road and comes to help me with my backpack (yes, I looked like a damn hitchhiker!) and open the car door for me. He is trying to control his mirth and not laugh out loud. He is not doing a good job... I tell him to go ahead and laugh... I can see that he can hardly contain himself.

Once I get into car, the Dad begins to tell me there are 2 150B buses...

WHERE THE HELL WAS THAT INFORMATION BEFORE I GOT ON THE WRONG DAMN BUS?

Oh, that's just great! That's just wonderful!

So that afternoon... I went out and bought a car!