Trip #551 Mount Oliver Street to Arlington Avenue, Allentown, Pittsburgh took place on January 21, 2021, and was published on February 17, 2021.
Oh little blue bus, why are you here?!
Toys without children fall into despair.
You need little hands to move you around.
“Brum Brum!” over the concrete until we hear the sound
Of the big bus.
Then it’s off to the doctor’s office, grandma’s house, or the store.
The snacks and juice are good, “Mmmm.. gimme more!”
But then something’s missing, something’s gone.
Little blue bus, the world’s all wrong!
Crying and screaming, anger and rage.
A favorite toy can never be replaced.
Be good now, and wipe the tears from your face.
Hours later, heading home
Close your eyes, so tired and sleepy.
All the regulars on the 48 think you’re a sweetie.
Next thing you know, you’re up in the air.
“Let me carry you now. You’re not big enough to get down those stairs.”
Out in the cold, wide awake, walking on the sidewalk is a piece of cake.
After all, you’re a big kid now, getting bigger every day.
No more baby stuff, putting that all away.
Until you round the corner when you stop and stare
What might this be? Who is this here?
Little blue bus! Where have you been?
I’ve been here all along, waiting for you, my friend!
Field Notes: This sidewalk flight is right at the “four corners” of Allentown, Knoxville, Mount Oliver, and Southside Slopes. It’s a fairly high traffic area so I had to make sure the toy vehicle was in the shot!
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Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling.
