Left Bud

Tragedy struck the Hill household earlier this month.

I was riding the bus home from Brouwer’s Cafe and the bus driver suddenly took off before I got to my seat. My AirPods case fell out of my pocket and seemingly exploded in the back of the bus. OK, the AirPods didn’t actually explode, but when the AirPods case hit the floor of the bus, both “buds” came out of the case and were strewn across the back of the bus. We never found the Left AirPod. Apple’s Find My app says they stayed on the bus. I wasn’t smart enough to check the app before I got off of the bus.

To commemorate this loss, I asked ChatGPT to write an Ode to Left Bud. Here it is:

Ode to Left Bud

Left Bud, victim of fate's sly jest,
Lost in a moment of sudden unrest.
From my pocket, your case took flight,
Spilling buds to the floor in broad daylight.

Amidst the shuffle and frantic search,
You eluded capture like a playful lurch.
Now the Right Bud sits in quietude,
Missing its mate, in solitude.

Oh Left Bud, where have you strayed?
In that moment of chaos, where you played.
Did you roll beneath a seat's embrace,
Seeking solace in a hidden space?

Left Bud, your absence is keenly felt,
A one-eared symphony where silence dwelt.
Come back, dear Bud, to complete the pair,
And let my music once more fill the air.

Until then, I'll recall your spirited flight,
Lost on a bus in the fading light.
Left Bud, wherever you roam or hide,
Know that in my heart, you abide.

And yes, I filed a Lost and Found claim with Sound Transit.