I Be Sluggin'

Formal definition: Slugging is a term used to describe a unique form of commuting found in the Washington, DC area sometimes referred to as "Instant Carpooling" or "Casual Carpooling". It's unique because people commuting into the city stop to pickup other passengers even though they are total strangers! However, slugging is a very organized system with its own set of rules, proper etiquette, and specific pickup and drop-off locations. It has thousands of vehicles at its disposal, moves thousands of commuters daily, and the best part, it’s FREE! Not only is it free, but it gets people to and from work faster than the typical bus, metro, or train. I think you'll find that it is the most efficient, cost-effective form of commuting in the nation.

For the most part I enjoy sluggin'. Sometimes I'm the driver, sometimes I'm one of the passengers. My incentive? The fact that it's free and it gets you where you need to go faster than the bus or the train. What I especially enjoy is the wide range of characters I see everyday! It cracks me up when I'm driving and I have two older white men with me in the car. Me, ethnic hair, big hoop earrings, R&B blowing out the speakers. Them, stiff suits, white starched shirts, striped tie, briefcase, newspaper. It's hilarious! I actually prefer to drive because I have more control that way. I hate getting in the car with folk who drive 1 mile over the speed limit holding up traffic or drive like a bat out of hell.

When I do ride, I like to get in the backseat. I'm not sure why but that's my m.o. Sometimes I'll get the drivers who want to talk (when I'm forced to get in the front) like this one lady who felt the need to tell me that she had ordered a fridge three weeks prior and it still hadn't arrived. Her, her husband and her daughter had to share a college dorm sized fridge and her husband was miserable. *blank stare*

Or the lady that had me in the back, a white older man in the front and she insisted on popping her dayum gum the entire time. I mean like sistergirl popping where you move the gum from one side of your mouth to the other to get more pop outta each chew. I wanted to smack her in the back of her dayum head. I was so embarrassed. And to make matters worse, she just HAD to talk on her bluetooth while driving. I mean that conversation couldn't wait until we got out the car? Did I have to know that she was going to Atlantic City for the weekend and had the babysitter all lined up? Why did she have to be one of us is all I kept saying? The stereotype is alive and well! Ugh! When it was time for me to get out of her car she asked who did my hair. I do my own hair hmpf. She asked if I did other folks I said nope with the quickness and got the hell up out her car. Her weave looked a dayum mess. I can't.

I often see the same folk.

Like this morning. I saw the lady (lady of color not sure of her ethnicity tho) that I rode with who had to tell us that she had bought her lil Dodge overseas cuz it was cheaper. She's military. She bought it so her daughter will have a car to use when she goes to college in two years. Oh and it's equipped with bluetooth and she let us know that it came with the car. As if anybody cared. Well she rode with me this morning and soon as she got in my car she asked if I'd had electrical problems with my car. Huh? Then she said she didn't know it was so roomy. What I wanted to say was you a dumbass for paying 20gs for that lil ass cramped Dodge when you couldda paid 12gs for a roomy Sonata. To prevent her from talking me to death I turned up the radio and kept my eyes on the road. Nobody feel like talking in the morning people!

Then there's the black guy in the blue car with the personalized plates. People still do that? Anyway. I've ridden with him a few times and each time he was blaring Ne-yo. I don't know why this bothered me? Couldda been the fact that not only was he blaring it but he was also singing along and knew all the words. Ne-yo? I'm just saying. He asked me if I had Ne-yo's cd *lol* and that he was feeling Tank's new one as well. I laid my head on the headrest and closed my eyes. That's why I hate sittin in the front seat! LOL!

I've ridden with a few white men and only one white women! The white men are usually young soldiers on their way to the pentagon in full army garb. It fascinates me cuz I'm wondering what do you do all day in your fatigues? Sit at a desk? I can't imagine it. I've heard stories of folks being over in Iraq and leading hundreds of men to people calling in sick although they ain't have enough time on the books. I've heard it all trust me and I absolutely love it.

Stunna always ask if I'm nervous about dealing with all these strangers and honestly I'm not. It's like I'm part of a carpool cult. You get in where you fit in and when you do you shut the hell up and ride. This is the life.

Would you ever slug if given the opportunity or would you be leary? Holla atchu girl.

Durty