A reasonable expectation of privacy

 

While waiting for the bus at 4^th & Washington, I counted nine cameras pointed in my direction.  What on earth could be so interesting about me?  The more I thought about it, the more I realized there wasn’t anything I did that was worth watching.  There were cameras on light poles, attached to buildings, and over the intersection.

Then I thought, maybe it was the bus driver they were concerned about.  He shows up here at the same time every day, maybe he’s doing something he shouldn’t.  I tried to think what it could possibly be.  It is possible he isn’t requiring exact change from his customers.  Then again, he could be allowing people to stand beyond the white line while the bus is still in motion.  But it would be extremely hard for those cameras to see the feet of people on the bus.

It could be that the driver waits until someone running to catch the bus almost gets there, then he takes off, but just a little.  Then the person starts running again, but the driver does it again.  He takes off, pretending to leave, but then stops.  That is very frustrating, I know.  My friend would do that to me in his car.  I’d just be reaching for the door handle, and he’d zoom forward, just a little.

Suddenly a puff of exhaust was choaking me up.  I looked up to see my bus pulling away.  I couldn't believe this has happened to me again.  While standing there daydreaming, I had missed my bus.  That’s when I knew, it was in fact me the cameras were watching.  They were looking for idiots.  I was somebody's entertainment.