Ah, my friends, we’ve reached that point in the tour. Somewhere around the seventh month of a tour, all social etiquette goes out the window. It’s dangerous to live and work with the same people in the best of situations, but when everyone spends a few hundred miles a day on the same bus, things eventually get snarky.

I always loved the Golden Girls and still occasionally catch an episode on Lifetime, but I still marvel that the show consisted basically of the characters attacking each others personal flaws for humor. There was love behind it, but in most social or work situations, the comments would land you in pretty hot water with your friends or loved ones. Tour is its own version of family…and we’ve reached the funny/sitcom mean portion of the tour. People are now allowing their frustrations with others to come out in varying ways - some constructive, some very funny and not terribly personal, and unfortunately some tear-inducing.

But on the funny end…even the bus driver is in on the action. So for today’s Overheard on the Bus:

K: There’s a Japanese steakhouse at the lunch stop. Maybe I can have some saki. It’s 10:45 in the morning! I’ll be sober by show time.

N: Would it make you sit in your seat until the end of the ride instead of bouncing around for the last hour?

K: I get restless! I’m good until about 3 o’clock, then I’m done. I have to get off this bus!

Me: Well, if you’ll sit down for the rest of the ride, and maybe take a nap, I won’t object to you drinking eight hours before a show.

K: I’m restless! I’m just…restless!

Bus driver: Well, we’re headed for Newport News. Get your heels on because I think the fleet is in port.

K: Is that the Marines?

Driver, N, and Me: No, it’s the navy!

K: Ooh. Then I’m going to change my shirt, too.