Nathan Vass
Nathan Vass is an artist, filmmaker, photographer, and author by day, and a Metro bus driver by night, where his community-building work has been showcased on TED, NPR, The Seattle Times, KING 5 and landed him a spot on Seattle Magazine’s 2018 list of the 35 Most Influential People in Seattle. He has shown in over forty photography shows is also the director of nine films, six of which have shown at festivals, and one of which premiered at Henry Art Gallery. His book, The Lines That Make Us, is a Seattle bestseller and 2019 WA State Book Awards finalist.
We're sitting at Third and Seneca northbound on the 3, a trolley bus. The passenger in front asks me what my favorite routes are.
"I really love doing the trolleys," I respond.
"Oh. I've never been on one of those," he says. I point out that he's sitting on one as...
Rainier and Henderson, the bottom of the Valley, deep in the living night. We're in the nerve center for gun crimes and drug distribution– the former up 150 percent in Rainier Beach within the past year. While the recent SPU shooting drew national attention, activity in Rainier Valley tends...
Nathan Vass is a photographer/filmmaker who drives for Metro. Learn more at nathanvass.com.
There are times when I can't tell if it's the world opening up, or just myself. You feel exhilaration coursing through your arteries, the kind you felt as a child, when it was okay to be silly....
This guy's smiling, let me tell you. I thought I smiled a lot. He walks up at Pine southbound, first stop on the 7, not rushed, no stress, just happy: a white man in his craggy early sixties, deep lines around his eyes and a balding pate. His pants...
"You got one more comin'!"
I look in the right mirror, and it's true, there's a streak of red of blue, running for me at Rainier and Letitia. I'm feeling generous, and wait with doors open. In a few seconds he's on board, breathing heavy and grinning. He sits down in...
"You keepin' me smilin' with that deep sexy voice o' yours," says a gravelly ball of waning energy on the 358. She's over forty, mixed race and short, from places I can't figure.
"Oh gosh," I say, trying not to blush. "It's not that good!"
I'm terrible at taking compliments. As a child...
"Tony!!!"
"Hey hey, how's it goin'?"
"The man of the hour! Good to see you, my friend. How's it been today?"
Tony is the vet mentioned here, where I designate him as "Grizzly Tony, beer-guzzling panhandler extraordinaire." That was two years ago. Today he and I are still doing our thing. I...
I'm riding home from Sea-Tac with a dear friend of mine. The last train headed for downtown has already left for the night, and we thus opt for a late-night 124 to work our way back into town. For decades Metro offered 24-hour service from downtown to Sea-Tac; maybe...