Locked inside a depressing Greyhound depot

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Locke

In Hound parlance, we called 'Puppies' or 'Pups' the trailer that the buses hauled behind them.

The bus is the Hound and the trailer is the Puppy.

I've often heard Grey Puppy. Perhaps I didn't pay attention to it's usage but I'm fairly sure it was people calling the bus the grey puppy. Probably those people confusing the terminology.

[Dion]

A good friend of mine that owns the Wales Theatre here in High River spent most of his career driving buses for Greyhound in Alberta and into BC. I told him once he should write a book about all his experiences with transporting customers and celebrities. Some were legendary.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Buff

I've often heard Grey Puppy. Perhaps I didn't pay attention to it's usage but I'm fairly sure it was people calling the bus the grey puppy. Probably those people confusing the terminology.

And thats fair enough, what other people called them is what it is, I'm just telling you that in the lanes thats what we called them.

You had the Hound and the Pup.

[keratosis]

Originally Posted by Dion

A good friend of mine that owns the Wales Theatre here in High River spent most of his career driving buses for Greyhound in Alberta and into BC. I told him once he should write a book about all his experiences with transporting customers and celebrities. Some were legendary.

What "celebrities" took the hound?

[Geraldsh]

I took the bus from Edmonton to Hinton in March, 1970. One of the passengers was travelling to Jasper from Quebec. He kept up a steady monologue loudly proclaiming how much better Quebec was than anywhere else in Canada. We voted him off the bus at Nojack and the driver agreed. The rest of the ride was nice.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by keratosis

What "celebrities" took the hound?

Dude. I used to work with Stampeders.

We had Peewee and...ugh! I forget his name. Huge, huge guy.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Buff

Depends on the years he worked.

In 1981 minimum wage in Alberta was $3.80. It went up to $4.50 in 1988 and then $5.00 in 1992. $5.40 in 1998 and then $5.90 by end of 1999. It was still under $10 in 2011 and slowly crept up to $15 in 2015 and it sits there today.

So, if he worked there in the early/mid 2000s and he made double minimum wage... that's obscenely well compensated for that era.

Originally Posted by timun

^^Was literally just looking this up myself.^^

Early 2000s I remember was $5.90/hr, so if Locke was making >$10... yeah, that was absurdly well-paid at the time.

Again, the legal minimum wage is not always an accurate barometer of what is or isn’t a decent or reasonable wage.

I don’t know if you guys know what the words obscene or absurd mean but the wages he was getting paid were not out of the norm of what many other “unskilled” manual labour jobs were paying at the time. Maybe you’re just not aware of that?

By your theory you’d have to consider someone earning double the minimum wage of $7/hour in both 2005 and 2006 to be receiving an “obscenely” or “absurdly” high wage during both of those years, ignoring all inflation related factors such as housing prices in Calgary going from an average of around $250k in 2005 to around $350k in 2006.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

Again, the legal minimum wage is not always an accurate barometer of what is or isn’t a decent or reasonable wage.

I don’t know if you guys know what the words obscene or absurd mean but the wages he was getting paid were not out of the norm of what many other “unskilled” manual labour jobs were paying at the time. Maybe you’re just not aware of that?

By your theory you’d have to consider someone earning double the minimum wage of $7/hour in both 2005 and 2006 to be receiving an “obscenely” or “absurdly” high wage during both of those years, ignoring all inflation related factors such as housing prices in Calgary going from an average of around $250k in 2005 to around $350k in 2006.

I think you're hung up on the wrong thing here.

[topfiverecords]

This thread needs this:

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Written by Killer__Carlson??
My public transport tragedy.....I think I will need therapy after this one. I have relayed it so many times that I am starting to pick up a flair for humour with it, but let me tell you at the time nothing was funny about it.

October 17th, 2000. I am in Ecuador, leaving the armpit of the earth QUITO (ecuador's capital). I amreally excited to leave regardless of the mode of transport. I was on the local bus, which cost like a buck for the entire 400km drive....I should have known.

Well since I am much too big to sit in a normal seat I had my guide move me up to the very front seat of the bus. No biggie I thought, until I realized that the bus intended to stop for every person on the side of the road, EVERY PERSON. The bus was so packed that people were sitting on armrests and standing inbetween passengers seated and the window. We are talking a hundred people on a 60 person bus.

Most brought their work with them, and in Ecuador most people are farmers. So bringing their work with them on the bus meant chickens, pigs, dogs, and giant bags of produce that were bigger than the owners.

Then in one middle of no where place this old lady (in her 60's by my estimation) gets on with her son who was in his 20's. Now before I describe the son let me say that he had Down Syndrome and was obviously not at fault for the state he was in. I honestly don't think he knew better and looking back I feel sorry for someone like him, although at the time I wanted him to be gone.

The place is packed so this kid sits down on the steps right in front of me. He is gross, his hair is
greasy, he has snot pouring down his face, he has a cough, zits, patches of hair on his face, and he stunk. I would say he was unkept, but that would infer that at some point he was kept (and in my mind that fact is in doubt). No biggy as the kid is on the stairs. Then we stop for another passenger and I look away. I didn't fit into the seats at the front of the bus so my legs were spread apart; the way most guys sit when seated.

When I look down this creature has snuck directly inbetween my legs. My initial reaction was to jump back in my seat and look down at him surprised. When I did that I noticed that the dirt in his hair wasn't so much dirt as it was lice and other bugs crawling around, and that he smelled much worse up close. I was wearing a pair of workout shorts and boxers underneath (note, I also had my FC tshirt on). He was close enough to me and the road was bumpy enough that his head may touch me if I wasn't totally anticipating his motions. I was terrified that one of his lice, with my luck a pregnant female, would jump onto my leg and live in my leg hair, or worse - make its way up to my crotch. It was terrifying. The local lady sitting beside me was so scared she climbed up in her seat with both feet up off the floor and looked at me like I was supposed to do something.

Then the gross part happened.

This kid got bored sitting in the bus for the long trip, so he started to entertain himself. This involved collecting copius amounts of runny snot on his finger/hand and eating it. Sometimes he would rub it in his ear or on the floor before eating it. There was so much snot coming out that I think a ShopVac wet dry vaccuum would have been in order. There was also a pole right in front of him that people would hold onto when getting on the bus. He saw this and decided to include it in his buffet. He would rub snot on his hand, or saliva, and then rub it on the pole. At that point (HONEST TO GOD) he would lean forward and lick the snot off the pole. Someone saw this and gave him an orange, but he quickly discarded this for the pole. I wanted to die.

This went on for over 2 hours. I wanted to move, but the bus was too packed. I wanted to climb over people to get back to my tour group but it was literally impossible to move. I started to panic. At that point this kid saw my right leg. He reached for it with a snot coated hand. I batted his hand away with my water bottle, and this was an apparent signal for some type of game. He became more persistent and eager to rub snot on my leg (in some attempt to tenderize it before giving it a good licking). The lady beside me screamed once or twice (seemingly on my behalf). His mother looked back uninterested (story of this kids life) once but that was it. I never hit the kid hard or even firmly with my water bottle, but I did have to start batting him in the head with it.

The other people positioned around me were watching in sick fascination. Here was Gringo Grande
seated in the front seat of the bus with some sort of creature trying to rub snot on him. They kept waiting for my reaction. It was terrible.

Then by the grace of God the road was washed out and we had to stop whilst the tractors shovelled it off. This meant I could at least not worry about his head bouncing into my leg and getting lice on my genitals. I could concentrate my efforts on warding off his advances on my leg. The bus coming from the other direction of the washout actually sank in the mud and had to be towed out. Our bus driver took this as a sign that our bus was too heavy and opened the doors. I swear to each and every one of you that God does listen and waits for your deepest and darkest hour before acting. This was a miracle and God answered my prayers. I was out of that door in a flash, showing speed never seen before from a 250 pound (at that time) dude. I ran to the far side of the washout and said a silent prayer and gave thanks to the creator.

When we got back on the bus I walked to the back and squeezed into the seat I had originally booked.
The guy whose seat I took never made it to my seat at the front and was giving me attitude for a while. I didn't care as the adrenaline in my system would have let me kill any 10 people on that bus at that time, and I never actually saw where the pole licker got off the bus, but he did.

If I never go through something like that again, my life will be a success. I don't think that I will complain about subways for a while, perhaps never again.

So the moral of the story is, if in Ecuador, look into spending an extra 5 bucks in getting a transport thats considered FIRST CLASS (meaning they won't stop on the side of the road), or better yet hire a 4 seater plane to take you where you need to go.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Buff

I think you're hung up on the wrong thing here.

Which thing specifically?

[timun]

Well, ya see, I worked for less than $10/hr in 2005, while apparently Locke's chimpanzee coworkers made >$10/hr schlepping luggage onto buses. So, from my own personal, anecdotal experience: that was absurdly well-compensated for what it was.

Now, you might well argue, "wElL iF 'tHe DiRtY dAwG' pAiD sO wElL hOw CoMe YoU dIdN't Go WoRk ThErE tOo?!?" and that's a fair point. I didn't have an 'in', like Locke did, and, well, frankly... *broadly gestures at this thread*

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Ooooh bus stories.

I took a bus from Townsville to Perth once. That's 5000km's. Of course, as a poor backpacker I booked it straight through because I had no money to stay overnight anywhere and figured I would sleep on the bus.

Halfway through I run into a fellow getting rid of a half pound of "shake" he has after trimming weed for a week. I procured said MJ for a budget price of $50 and proceeded to roll up as many single doobies as possible. I started selling them to fellow bus mates at a bargain price of 2 for $5 to raise enough funds for maybe a night sleep in Ayers so I can see some giant rock.

Of course half the bus is eventually in on this, and every time we stop there's a bunch of us that would go out back and proceed to get high AF before re-boarding the bus. All is well until one moron decides he can't wait for the next stop, goes into the bus bathroom, removes the smoke detector, and lights up. Bus immediately stops, cops are called, passenger is arrested. So here I am with a pile of prerolls and a mitt full of $5 bills sweating my nards off because I'm thinking I'm next in line for the clink. My options are toss the weed or risk it (keep in mind I'm poor AF) so I do the only logical thing and put it in my backpack in the luggage shelf because I somehow think because the weed isn't on me I would be fine. Spent the remainder of the bus ride in total paranoia, make it to Perth with my cash and my remaining joints and proceed to blow all my funds on $5 box wine.

The one part I will never forget about that trip (other than the 50 million flys constantly buzzing around) was chatting with the driver while driving the Nullarbor. I'm half asleep in the front row and all of a sudden I'm jarred awake to a loud THUD as we run something over. I jolt awake and ask the driver WTF that was and he laughs....."Fakkin roos, mate". I asked him how often that happens and if it was normal....to which he responds "We don't slow down for those kants, but you gotta watch out for the camels".

There is a story I want to tell so badly, but I would be roasted alive and it has absolutely nothing to do with me. I heard it from the Driver and the Union Head. But its so bad.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by timun

Well, ya see, I worked for less than $10/hr in 2005, while apparently Locke's chimpanzee coworkers made >$10/hr schlepping luggage onto buses. So, from my own personal, anecdotal experience: that was absurdly well-compensated for what it was.

Maybe it was a case of you being absurdly underpaid. If that is the case, which company hurt you so bad that it affected your own perception of self worth? Don’t worry this is a safe place timun.

Now, you might well argue, "wElL iF 'tHe DiRtY dAwG' pAiD sO wElL hOw CoMe YoU dIdN't Go WoRk ThErE tOo?!?" and that's a fair point. I didn't have an 'in', like Locke did, and, well, frankly... *broadly gestures at this thread*

This is an interesting response. Are you implying that I should have responded to your previous post in this thread that had nothing to do with Locke, depression or a greyhound depot in another thread? This site can be a confusing place at times.

[habernac]

We saw the cops a lot at the Ft McMurray depot. We’d get freight three times a day. 6am, 6pm and 11pm. They had us hide them behind a wall in out freight area once waiting for the 6pm bus. They asked me to unload all the freight, then wheel it behind the wall so they could look for a specific person’s name on a package. They caught that guy.

The RCMP also showed up in force once, 4 cars skidded up as our bus pulled in, one officer telling me to stay put as he came through the ticket office. The pulled a guy off the coach in handcuffs.

One of the drivers also talked about meeting Marilyn Monroe in Jasper where she was filming. Said she was a delight and that Robert Mitchum was the opposite.

[timun]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

This site can be a confusing place at times.

Yes, it can be. Witness:

This is an interesting response. Are you implying that I should have responded to your previous post in this thread that had nothing to do with Locke, depression or a greyhound depot in another thread?

To which I respond with a resounding:

I'm not implying you should have responded to anything. You're now venturing so wildly off-base I have no idea WTF you're even trying to get at at this point.

[Locke]

So I'll tell this one instead.

As I've said before my father drove the Local North which is Calgary to Edmonton and all points in between.

One day the Police drop off an indigenous person who was being released on Bail to go back to the Reserve at Hobbema.

Local North was my route. This was my Bus. I loaded it.

This guy was lit. Just absolutely s###faced. But... what can you do? The Cops are putting him on the Bus.

So my dad says to him: "Go to the back of the Bus and take a nap. I'll wake you up when we get there."

They get just about there and buddy doesnt want to go back to the Reserve. For reasons unknown.

Unbeknownst to anyone he had a bottle of Crown Royal on him. At least he was drinking Top Shelf? Regardless, he was out of Whiskey.

So he marches up to my Dad, who is driving a bus with 55 passengers up the Highway, at highway speed, and....proceeds to take said empty bottle and smash my father repeatedly in the face.

Just over and over again.

Now. If you're unfamiliar with Crown Royal bottles....they are a rather sturdy drinking vessel.

My dad got his orbital bone broken as well as his nose and jaw.

The Passengers apparently subdued the assailant using their belts until the Cops arrived.

All of the passengers were moved to a replacement Bus. Because Greyhound sent out another Bus.

But what was to be done with the Original Bus? Oh yes. My dad, whose entire face is broken....had to drive it back all the way.

And whats more? I had no idea. He pulls the Bus into the Depot and my Boss tells me...

"You can take your shift off, you should take him to the Hospital."

WHAT???

I mean of COURSE he should go to the goddamned Hospital but you should call him an Ambulance!

You want me to drag my father across 9th Avenue into my crappy old 1978 F-150 and drive him to the Hospital after he's just driven your crappy Bus all the way back from Hobbema with a completely broken face?

I take him to the Hospital, he gets patched up and needs some time off to recover.

My Dad's first trip back? Guess who is in line for the Bus? In handcuffs.

[SutterBrother]

Originally Posted by Locke

There is a story I want to tell so badly, but I would be roasted alive and it has absolutely nothing to do with me. I heard it from the Driver and the Union Head. But its so bad.

This is the thread for it.

DO IT!

[SutterBrother]

Originally Posted by Locke

My Dad's first trip back? Guess who is in line for the Bus? In handcuffs.

No WAY! Were there words?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by habernac

We saw the cops a lot at the Ft McMurray depot. We’d get freight three times a day. 6am, 6pm and 11pm. They had us hide them behind a wall in out freight area once waiting for the 6pm bus. They asked me to unload all the freight, then wheel it behind the wall so they could look for a specific person’s name on a package. They caught that guy.

The RCMP also showed up in force once, 4 cars skidded up as our bus pulled in, one officer telling me to stay put as he came through the ticket office. The pulled a guy off the coach in handcuffs.

One of the drivers also talked about meeting Marilyn Monroe in Jasper where she was filming. Said she was a delight and that Robert Mitchum was the opposite.

Oh my God. I hated Greyhound for this crap.

I had one time where I was loading the East Bus and my Boss comes up to me and says:

"Dont load this bag. Just leave it here."

Its a giant black suitcase. Fine by me, I can load more freight. Its his call. Its unusual because luggage was told to me to be the priority.

I was new. Unbeknownst to me...this was a suitcase full of drugs. They wanted the Bus to pull out so the owner would cause a scene and identify himself.

This was the first time I was physically assaulted.

The guy comes storming off the Bus...goes apes### and slams me against the Bus for not loading his bag, then the Cops show up with the Drug Dog and everything goes straight to Hell.

And then the Cops stroll out..."Good Job Son!"

Are you serious with me right now?

"We got him!"

Listen here Columbo...you could have said something to me. You know...a little 'head's up?' I'd still have helped you!

"But we got him tho!"

Yeah. All well and good for the ass clown who didnt get his skull smashed into the side of a Greyhound Bus by a drug dealer you clownshoes bastard!!

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by timun

Yes, it can be. Witness:

To which I respond with a resounding:

I'm not implying you should have responded to anything. You're now venturing so wildly off-base I have no idea WTF you're even trying to get at at this point.

I can type slower for you if you think it’ll help.