Freedom Bus

Flashback January 8, 2011. Circa midnight:
I’m at a house party in the Mission. Not, like, cool mainstreet Mission. Kind of boonies Mission. And I need to get somewhere else in the Mission, quick stat. But there is nary a cab to be seen.
I walk blocks, shivering, until I spy a glimmer of hope in the distance. Lights! No, stars! No, stripes! No, ALL OF THE ABOVE!!!
I breathe deep. I raise my hand. I skip off the curb, into the street…
And the freedom bus stops in all of its star-​spangled glory. We are welcomed aboard with open arms, asked of our destinations, and… offered to share in the backseat imbibing… We admire the skull-​and-​crossbones drapes, and make friendly with the backseat brigade. All four of us are transported. Payment is refused. We disembark in front of a crowd, feeling like freaking rockstars. And we are back in mainstreet Mission.
To whomever was driving that bus that night, thank you. You made me fall in love with this city, all over again.