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11/09/2003 Archived Entry: "My Friend, Roland"

My Friend, Roland. Actually, he's every bus driver's friend, although some accept his friendship less enthusiastically than others. Roland Stewart is one of those special people you meet now and then throughout life. Roland fills his self-assigned role as "director of bus parking" at South Street Seaport in New York City. I opened my coach's door to say hi after he "directed" me into my parking slot, waving me to stop just before the rear bumper of my 45-foot coach found the guard rail. "Ah, you've got the BIG bus today!" Roland exclaimed, as he gave me his customary half hug (Roland doesn't shake hands). "Last time you had the little bus!" I had to stop and think a minute, but Roland was exactly right. Last time I had parked at South Street Seaport was almost two months ago, 9-11-03, to be exact, and I was driving our company's 24 passenger mini-coach. Roland remembered that! I asked Roland how long he's been parking buses at South Street. "Twenty-seven years!" he answered, without any hesitation. I asked a couple of other drivers how long Roland has been there, and they agreed he's been there as long as they can remember. So Roland is probably right about that, too. Roland's quite a guy.