Infiltrating the Young

As I have said in previous posts, I often take the university bus from the campus in my town to the campus in the city.  It is literally an uphill journey to the university here in town from where I live; about 1.3 miles.  Needless to say, I never mind coming back from the city and having to walk home, being a downhill journey.  Unfortunately, many times I am late or lose track of time and need to rush to the bus from my apartment, meaning that I spend about 20 minutes on the 30 minute ride to the city, simply wiping sweat from my forehead.  I seem to fit in fairly well, though there's no disguising my balding hairline or the grey creeping into my beard.  But that is overlooked as there are many "non-traditional" students who commute and attend the university.

Technically, I'm not supposed to be hitching this free ride between country and city campuses.  But I DID graduate from this same school in 1995 and feel (rightly or wrongly) that this should allow me the ethical ability to ride any damn university bus any damn time I want.  But this apparent bravado is tempered by the fact that it really was and is a great school and gave me - maybe - more than I paid for, when all things are added up.  The bus drivers never check student ID and are happy to see someone as old as they are riding on a regular basis.  My costume is how I get away with it...barely.

I have my iPod and my backpack.  Except for the fore-mentioned physical traits of elderness (bald and grey-bearded) I really do look like any other modern student.  I wear my grungy jeans, with my low-brand sneakers and shabby shirt--ALL a must for student infiltration.  It is only when I pull out my ancient iPod Shuffle (ca. 2005), a comparably large 2" x 1" x 1/4" monstrosity, with no touch-screen, no album image, etc., that a student might become skeptical of my attendance at this great school.  Hell, I still get carded when buying beer at Hannaford, maybe because, despite the elder look, I wear an iPod and backpack most of the time, and am fortunate enough not to have wrinkles, or crow's feet etc. 

But this is the thing.  Kids (and I can call them that, since most are more than 20 years younger than I) are SO much more accepting and progressive than when my generation went to college, that it is TRULY refreshing.  They are SO savvy with electronic gear that it is like pulling on a sweatshirt or lacing up shoes for them.  EVERY student has a small laptop, iPhone (or equivalent), and mp3/mp4 player.  They all stand at the bus stop with heads bowed in worship to these devices, and I don't blame them.  The mechanisms for study and communication are VASTLY more efficient and appropriate to student life than my generation (their parents) ever could have hoped for.  They still socialize just like we did.  They still like to talk and make plans in person.  But all of this is not the most impressive aspect of this 20-something group.

What impresses me the most about these kids is their high level of moral aptitude.  When waiting on the bus at the city campus, a small, tricked out pick-up truck squealed through the parking lot and raced over to a building on the other side of the lot.  In the old days of my attendance here, everyone would have said, "Yahoo, friggin right!!"  But the males on this bus just shook their heads and mumbled about what an asshole this guy must be.  One guy mentioned how this one driver's arrogance put all the people walking down the line of cars parked, in danger.  And everyone on the bus seemed to agree, to the point of almost applauding.  I was dumbfounded.

And all races and the two sexes, and alternate sexes, have no problem sitting together and being quite civil.  They truly see no differences in equality.  They all consider each other to be happily the same--human beings, just trying to get by in life.  I have been so moved sometimes that I have to look away from how much things have changed.  I don't even think their parents or anyone knows how profound this change has become.

The greatest example of this came one rainy, foggy morning on the ride from my town to the city.  I was sitting in my favorite seat; the one after the rear wheels where the bump of the wheel well rises in front of the seat  I like this spot the most because I can get my knees bent up and relaxed after walking.

As I sat listening to my latest Terence McKenna lecture, in the background I began to pick up the conversation behind me.  Two guys and one woman were engaged in the most progressive philosophical discussion I'd heard in years.  I nonchalantly switched the volume down on my lecture but kept the ear buds in, so that I might listen with immunity.  Over the half-hour drive the conversation ranged from the role of energy use in the country to the expectations of the people in power for the population's acceptance of stupid laws and dangerous policies. 

There was one guy who seemed to be leading the talk.  He went into long 5-minute monologues about how we are misled by the position of people in government to think that they know best.  He steered the discussion toward facts and numbers which showed ecological indifference, drug policy ignorance and economic biases.

I resolved to confront this guy and tell him how much I appreciated his efforts.  But I lost my nerve when the bus stopped.  Or, I just realized that like an observer from the future, with eyes in the past, I should not interfere with such a great process.  I just smiled and walked on to my destination, knowing that the future is safe as long as these great kids keep pressing forward.