Darlene Denman has been driving a Twin Transit bus for 24 years. There have been a lot of interesting occurrences along the way – and even more fascinating friends.
Years ago, when she first started driving for Twin Transit, Darlene got to know a regular rider with a developmental disability who always got picked up at LC Market at 4:20 a.m. on his way to work. Somehow he decided he was Darlene’s bodyguard. “It became a joke between us,” she says.
One day, another passenger was giving Darlene trouble. Her bodyguard, as small as he was, acted bravely to defend Darlene. “I’d never seen him move so fast,” she says. “He jumped up and said, ‘Leave her alone!’”
The troublemaker’s eyes got big and he decided he was in the wrong place to cause a ruckus. He backed off and left Darlene and her bodyguard in peace.
After the tension passed, the two shared a good laugh about the whole thing. “He was a good gentleman,” Darlene recalls.
Fortunately, issues aboard the bus are rare. But strong connections, like those Darlene often shares with her passengers, are a frequent occurrence.
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