Would you call this a good will evangelist?

TriMetiquette reader Kristin sent me this story:

Kristin notes: face has been cutout to protect identity

Most riders are conscious of this unspoken etiquette: keep the volume low (conversations, music, drunk ramblings, etc.) and respect the almighty SILENCE.

It’s 5:30pm on Tuesday evening and I’m taking bus #12 home from Downtown. It’s the end of the workday, people are tired and we all want to enjoy a few minutes of solitude before we get off the bus and have to get back to the demands of our lives.

The bus is at full capacity; every seat is taken and people are standing so close to one another that I can smell my neighbors’ lunch on his breath. Fortunately, we can all keep our cool. Upon entering this bus, each of us vowed to respect thy neighbor by maintaining a code of silence.

Just as the bus is taking off, heading over the Burnside bridge, I hear a woman talking loudly – almost yelling – ‘Come on damn it, it’s Earth Day – smile! What the hell’s wrong with everyone.’ She proceeds to look at the people sitting to the left & right of her, gets up in their face and says ‘Why aren’tcha smiling? COME ON SMILE!’ People are looking away from her in hopes they will be spared from the rude awakening.

I can appreciate wanting to spread a little cheer. It would do us good to smile a bit more. Being rude & overtly loud certainly didn’t make me smile; in fact, it turned my smile upside down.