The wheels on the Coss go round and round.

Maybe this is the self-indulgent, self-obsessed, of-no-interest-to-anyone-who-is-not-Dave-Maass post that our editors warned against... whatevs. It's a funny story and I've got a paparazzi shot of Mayor David Coss.

Last Thursday, bent over breathless from the gut-punch of a deadline, I left work early to recover (imagine, if you can, my little

cutting my swollen eyelids at ring side). For various reasons, I'm a bus commuter these days, and perhaps the only ray of sunshine that day was that the

, the one that shoots down the length of Cerrillos, was waiting for me at the downtown depot off Marcy St.

So, hooded,

in my earbuds (as much for calm as self-pity), I slogged onto the bus and took my seat. And who did I happen to see? Oh, wait...I already blew the surprise.

Yes, there was Coss holding court in the front of the bus, looking like the picture perfect small cosmo mayor--legs crossed, hat on attache, reading the

(a publication which seems to have civic leaders as its target, core audience).

I pretended to sleep, because, well, I wasn't feeling or looking my best. I was off the clock! I pulled my hood down over my eyes and leaned against the glass, and tried to figure out a way to get past him unnoticed once we arrived at my stop.

It was futile. Our eyes met and we said hi and the mayor asked, politely and carefully:

"So, do you...still work at the Reporter?"

It's at that point I realized how unemployed I looked. A week ago, for giggles, I'd shaved my beard into a curly, pointy mustache-goatee-chops combination, but, being on the gut-punch deadline, I'd failed to maintain it. As such, I was looking like Pierce Brosnan outta

. My hoodie sleeves were frayed (still are), my rolled cargo pant legs soaked with run-off. I was so haggard I was merley.

Yes, I told him, I was just just just you know you know leaving early because I'd been up all night and stuff. I did still have a job, despite my, errr, 3 o' clock beard on the bus.

Where is this story going? Nowhere in particular. It's just a reflection of the economy, the denizens of #2 and a mayor who is very good at being polite.

Also - I want to direct your eyes to the right hand sidebar. Under "Useful Resources" I've posted a

to the Santa Fe Trails bus routes and schedules. Keep it in the back of your mind: you ever need to print out a schedule fast, you'll find it here.

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