“All Aboard, Alligator!” – The Day Gator Gary Tried To Take The Q10
Hey folks, Tony here – your favorite retired bus driver from good ol’ Queens County. Ah, the memories! Driving the streets of Queens was no ordinary job. Every day was like an episode from some wild TV show, and let me tell you, not even the best screenwriters in Hollywood could make up some of the stuff I’ve seen.
One of my favorite stories from the ol’ Q10 route? Well, buckle up, because this one’s a doozy.
It was a hot summer afternoon, the kind where the asphalt gets so soft your shoes might as well be in quicksand. Traffic was thick, and I was running ten minutes late. I saw him before he saw the bus – Gary. Now, everyone in Queens knows Gary. He’s what you’d call a New York character. Funky hats, flashy shoes, and always, always up to some new adventure.
But on that particular day, Gary had outdone himself. There he stood at the bus stop, a glint in his eye and… an alligator on a leash. I blinked, hoping it was a heat-induced mirage. Nope, the gator blinked back.
I stopped the bus, and Gary, with his trademark grin, shouted, “Two for one, Tony! Special day!”
I rubbed my temples. “Gary, you can’t be serious. That’s an alligator.”
Gary looked down, as if just noticing the reptile. “Oh, this? This is Al the Alligator. Say hi, Al!” Al, for his part, looked utterly uninterested in greeting anyone.
“You expect me to let that… that THING on my bus?”
“Why not? He’s a New Yorker, just like the rest of us. Got the attitude and everything.”
A lady from the back yelled, “Hey! We ain’t got all day. Either get the gator on or get going!”
Now, any other day, I’d have stood my ground, but I was running late, the heat was getting to me, and honestly? I was a tad curious to see how this would pan out.
So, I took a deep breath, and said, “Fine. But he sits next to you. And no putting him in the aisle. Last thing I need is a gator causing a ruckus.”
Gary cheered, paying for two tickets – one for him, one for Al. I guess he figured since Al took up a seat, he should pay his way. As they settled down, the entire bus watched in stunned silence. It was, without a doubt, the quietest ride I’ve ever had on the Q46.
We made it to Gary’s stop without incident. As they got off, he said, “Thanks, Tony. Al had a blast. Said it was better than the subway.”
I just shook my head, watching as Gary and Al disappeared around the corner. Only in Queens. Only on my bus.
So, the next time you think your commute was wild, just remember: You probably never rode the Q10 on the day Gary brought an alligator on board.
Until next time, keep it wild, Queens. And remember, no pets on the bus… unless they’re as well-behaved as Al. 😉
