The sun sets early here, and apparently with it goes some people’s sanity.  It’s early evening and yet the atmosphere in the tunnel is more like midnight…there are some strange folks wandering on the southbound side.  Someone walks in front of me as I lean against the marble wall, tired and wishing for my bus.  I am completely unable to ascertain this person’s gender, although I lean toward male, so I’ll use that for my description.  He is about 5’9”, Asian, and I would guess of Korean descent; shoulder-length black hair in long, messy curls.  His face is covered with inexplicable clown-like makeup, the whiteface faded until it is a strange grey color, red oversized lips drooping, bizarre black marks smeared and blurred across his cheeks.  He wears some kind of enormous cargo pant that swirls around his ankles as he walks – it flows as if it were made of silk but his mien belies that extravagance.  His t-shirt is white and has some sort of graffiti print, and over it is a heavily used vintage Levi’s jacket strewn with dozens of buttons crying out slogans and affiliations. “That might be too much flair…”, I think to myself.  But we’re not done – he also has on a Hello Kitty backpack from which dangles all sorts of feathers and hoohas.  It’s quite a sight to see.  He has a companion with him, a nondescript sort who flies right under my radar;  I’m too busy watching this guy without appearing to be watching him.

The bus pulls up and as it does, this person starts laughing maniacally, loudly, so that it echoes throughout the tunnel.  I wonder if security will let him board?  Apparently he is not strange enough to pose a threat because he does board, and sits in one of the farthest back seats, he in the aisle, his companion at the window.  He still giggles loudly at intermittent intervals.  I climb into my seat and and immediately pull out my kindle.  It’s one of those rides…

Suddenly the clown sneezes theatrically and then laughs.  As he sneezes he tosses his head around and does not cover his nose or mouth.  It’s the most efficient way to spread germs I’ve ever seen.  I feel very sorry for the people he sits near.  Whatever reaction he was looking for must have occurred because he sneezes, then laughs, again.  And again.  And again.  Everyone turns to stare – I refuse and keep my eyes firmly planted on the screen in front of me. (Reading The Hobbit, for about the 275^th time, in preparation for the movie.) This continues, off and on, interspersed with loud incomprehensible speech and strange facial expressions, for about 25 minutes.  Everyone is annoyed and frankly disturbed by this guy, but what do you do in that situation?  He’s so downright weird that no one wants to talk to him, and he’s far enough away in the double length bus that the driver has no influence.  Eventually he gets off and we collectively sigh with relief.  His exit is quiet, almost humble, as if he’s exhausted his performance for the evening.  It’s anti-climatic and I feel a strange disappointment…like when a car chase ends in peaceful capture.  Where’s the show?!