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Anna's New Start · Episode 17: The Early Bus October 19, 2026 · 5:06 · With Narrator, Anna, and Sam
On Tuesday evening, Anna and Sam check the weekday schedule for route 4 at stop 214 and make a practical plan for Anna’s first training shift.
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Narrator You’re hearing Anna’s New Start, a fictional continuing story about Anna building a new life in a new city and looking for work. Anna has accepted a breakfast assistant job at the Harbor Lane Hotel. Tonight, at home, she and Sam are checking a bus schedule for her first training shift. Anna Sam, can you read the small print on this schedule? I can see the times, but the weekday column is hard to follow. Wednesday is a weekday, and my shift starts at six, so I need those times—not the weekend schedule—to know which bus can get me there. Sam Sure. This says it’s for route 4 at stop 214. And this column is for weekdays, so it should match Wednesday. Anna Good. I was worried I might be looking at the Saturday times. What time is the first bus? Sam It says 5:04. The next one is at 5:19. Do you remember which direction you need? Anna The sign at Grand Avenue said “toward downtown.” The hotel is on Harbor Lane, so I think that’s the right direction. Sam Let’s check the route list. Yes, Harbor Lane is on this route. The schedule gives a time of 5:27 for the stop near the hotel. Anna Can the map tell us exactly where that stop is? I want to know whether it’s near the staff entrance or only near the hotel address. Sam It marks a stop on Harbor Lane, just past the hotel. That helps us find the general location, but it doesn’t show the staff entrance or the walk from the stop to that entrance. Anna So we can check the bus time and where the stop is, but we can’t know the walking time from this map. I shouldn’t count on it being only a few minutes. Sam Right. We haven’t walked that part yet. The map shows the stop on the same street, just past the hotel. It looks like a short walk, but we don’t know how long it takes to reach the staff entrance. Anna I’d rather not guess. If the walk takes ten minutes, I’d still get there at 5:37. That gives me some extra time. Sam Right. And the 5:19 bus would reach the hotel stop at 5:42. That leaves only eight minutes before you need to arrive. Anna Eight minutes feels too close for my first morning. I’ll take the 5:04 bus, even if I have to wait outside for a while. Sam That seems sensible. Do you know if the bus stop has a shelter? It may be cold that early. Anna I don’t know. I can bring my warm jacket. I’ll also keep my photo ID and bank information in the front pocket of my bag. Sam And your dark pants and closed shoes. You could put those by the door tonight, so you don’t have to search in the morning. Anna I’ll do that. I also want to check the bus again before I leave. What if the schedule changes or I miss it? Sam The schedule says the next bus is at 5:19. If you miss the first one, you can still try that bus, but it may make you late. Anna Then I’ll set two alarms. One at 4:15, and another at 4:20. I can get dressed, eat something small, and leave by 4:45. Sam That gives you time to walk to Grand Avenue. You could also take a photo of this schedule, so you have it on your phone. Anna Good idea. I’ll save the stop number too: 214. I’m glad we checked it together. Now the morning feels more possible. Sam You’ve got a plan: the 5:04 bus, the right direction, and the hotel stop at 5:27. And you’ll have your things ready before bed. Anna Yes. I’ll still feel nervous when the alarm rings, but I won’t have to decide everything at once. Thanks for helping me read the schedule. Sam You did the important part, Anna. You checked the details and chose the earlier bus. I’ll see you after your first shift, if you’re free. Anna I’d like that. I may have a lot to tell you. For now, I’m going to set those alarms and put my shoes by the door.
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