You’d think after ten months in Baltimore I’d know the timing of the bus system. But today, like so many before, finds me flailing wildly down the street in a vain attempt to catch what can’t be caught. The bus stop is only one block from my apartment, but I just miss it at least once a week.

I don’t know why I even bother with this farce. I’ve never caught a bus this way, but some kind of foolish hope keeps driving me to try. I clumsily and breathlessly slow down at the stop just as the bus pulls away. The familiar sensations of disappointment and frustration fill my body as I berate myself for not making it out the door thirty seconds earlier. All I can do now is wait.

But today, I don’t wait for very long.

Suddenly, a van pulls over – whether delivery, mail or commercial, I don’t know. The driver, with a mix of excitement and urgency, opens the passenger door and beckons me inside.

My brain has microseconds to make sense of this. My elementary school conditioning kicks in (you don’t get in vans with strangers, you just don’t) but luckily my prefrontal cortex overrides it. What nefarious motivations could this driver have that would justify an abduction on a busy street in broad daylight? During my short time in Baltimore, I’ve come to know it as a place with a strong community orientation where people are genuine and helpful. I leap into the passenger seat, pulling the door shut behind me.

No words are exchanged. Suddenly, we’re flying down the street, and my mind, so quick-thinking before, is now processing the fact that I’m sitting in a stranger’s van. The bus hasn’t gotten too far, but we need to catch up within two blocks. I feel a blend of worry and exhilaration, as I’ve never been in a race with even small stakes before. The driver is smiling; he’s calm, but with an intense focus. The energy is contagious.

The bus pulls over at its next stop, giving us the opening. The driver gracefully decelerates and glides to the shoulder as I ready myself like a compressed spring. I manage a quick “Thanks!” as I jump out, seeing his nod in response, complete with that smile. I make a second mad dash towards the bus, and in one final push throw myself onboard! The bus starts to move, and I can finally relax.

But my brain and body remain awash with adrenaline. I can’t just sit and do nothing - I have to commemorate this experience. I unlock my phone and start frantically tapping out a Facebook status. What just happened here would not have occurred in New York, or DC, or any other city I know. I’m deep into the same energetic focus as my recent benefactor as I race to post this undeniable proof of the kindness of strangers.

And I miss my stop.

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Jeremy’s doing some cool policy stuff. Check out his website !