another bus ride. the return trip - 7 hours. the purpose - is almost unimportant now.

one of the first passengers to get on is Lachie. he gets on at Kyle, and sits on the seat just behind the door.

there are three different drivers for this route (917), and all of them enjoy passing the journey in conversation with Lachie. each time I've made the journey now (at least 5 in as many weeks), Lachie has been on the first bus there, and the last bus back, together with several other regulars.

I sit about three seats back - on the same side as Lachie, due to the fact that the leg room is slightly longer on that side (the loo is at the back and means the seats are a bit more squashed up on the driver's side) and it's not to far to get on or off - although the bus driver patiently waits for passengers to be seated before driving on. but I realise now, that three seats back is ideally placed to eavesdrop the conversations between Lachie and the driver.

this evenings ranging conversation settled on the driver's agitation, brought on by his wife's dislike of mince and potatoes. explaining his frustration, he points out that she has no problem with cottage pie. Lachie did not have any answers.

the conversation re-started a little while later with the usefulness of polecats and ferrets. here there were definite differences - Lachie not being able to see much usefulness in ferrets, whereas polecats, on the other hand ...... the driver turned out to be a ferret man.

the gentle argument that followed was diffused by each coming up with usefulness for the other's choice of creature, with the tact and diplomacy that would not have seemed out of place in a round of Middle Eastern talks.

the purpose of my journey - something to do with fillers and drainers - but as I said, that's unimportant.

the image - en route - the Moll road, and at the bus station the other end.