On MUNI

I can't stop thinking of her. It happened yesterday Tuesday, May 27 th on the 1 California MUNI line. I found a site, Muni Diaries, while I searched for news of it. I first published this story there. It was about 2:30 in the afternoon. The bus was headed up Sacramento St. toward Divisadero medical neighborhood. About mid-way between the Embarcadero and Divisadero, I was gazing out the window on my right, the bus was stopped. On my way to a medical appointment, sunny day, dreaming, enjoying watching the street. A seat was empty next to me on my left.  Maybe she was about to sit down. The bus driver didn't look to see. The bus lurched forward, simultaneously I sensed more than saw a shadow fly faster than a bat black and long-seeming to my imagination. Not actually seeing, sensing. CRACK! I heard as the shadow shot faster than a bullet, a heavy sickeningly fast BAM! At first I wouldn't look. I just sat there, now with head down I began to wail under my breath, 'nooooooooo, noooooooooooo, nooooooooooo.' I heard someone close to my feet say, "she has a pulse, but just barely. She cracked her head bad." I looked, saw first the two medical personel ministering to her inert form, turquoise teal colored scrubs. Their hands on her, gentle caring hands. I looked at her face, she looked like she was trying to gain consciousness, maybe seizing, hopefully not dying. She was Asian, perhaps fifty, well-dressed, well cared for. I began asking if anyone had called 911 emergency. I didn't have a cel phone. At first, everyone was in shock, no one answered. The bus driver said, "I'm handling it, I'm calling Central Headquarters." I asked again if anyone had called 911. A lady behind me said her husband had called emergency, help was on the way. I thanked the medics at my feet. I began to cry, quietly. Then the bus-driver told us all to get off the bus. I begged the medics to stay by the woman's side until the ambulance came.

       I looked for news of this the morning this was written, the morning after it happened. I could find nothing, I tried searching in many different kinds of word-groupings. I called MUNI. I was transferred between a main number and some other department four times before I gave up, facebooked this story, and then began calling different news outlets to tell the story. They all said they would check on it. One asked me for my name and number, and if I had any photos of it. I didn't, I didn't have my camera with me.

       I wonder: Why weren't we kept there as witnesses to an accident? Why did we all comply, getting off the bus, when the driver responsible for the accident was the one ordering us away? Did the medical personel on hand stay by her side? I believe they did. Did she live? How much permanent damage was there? Did she die? Will there be news of this with some answers to these questions?