Connecting commuters in Corpus Christi

For our first News Gathering and Writing assignment, we were tasked to ride the B-line Corpus Christi bus for an hour while simultaneously interviewing at least three people.

Growing up near downtown San Antonio, I was no stranger to public transportation. Interviewing people, however, was entirely foreign to me. Nervously, I hopped on with no route planned and only my journal and wits in hand.

For about 45 minutes, I rode around with only one other older gentleman while trying to work up the nerve to talk to him. However, a few minutes later two women hopped inside and sat beside him. Still working up the nerve to approach these people, they suddenly got off at a stop and walked towards La Palmera mall. Not wanting to let this ride go to waste, I got off on the same stop and pursued them inside the mall. Creepy, I know, but I did not want this ride to go to waste.

Eventually I followed them inside and found them sitting in the food court where I awkwardly introduced myself and why I followed them inside so as to not seem like an insane person. After going over the usual formalities like getting their names, they happily agreed to give me an interview.

Audrey is the second born of two sisters. She’s 24, and from Corpus Christi. According to her, she’s lived here her entire life. Her dad, Lee, was born in California and her mother is originally from Mexico. At the moment, she works at the Vitamin Shoppe assisting customers with their vitamin needs. She works the register but also stocks the merchandise from time to time. According to Aubrey, she also likes to do Doordash and Uber Eats as a side hustle.

Lee is the father of the two daughters, Audrey and Kay. He was born in Oceanside, California, but despite this, considers himself to be a Texan through and through. According to Lee, the reason he was born in California is because his dad was in the Marines. His father worked as a drill sergeant and also was a radioman whenever he was on patrol. Lee’s father had just gotten back from Vietnam during the time of Lee’s birth. While waiting for his father to be discharged, the then infant Lee was stuck in California for about eight months. After his father was discharged, Lee and his family moved to Corpus Christi, where he’s been living ever since. According to Lee, he much prefers living in Texas, to the point of being prideful. He is very much enamored with the diversity of Texas and the culture that comes with it. Lee works in the HVAC industry and lives with his three daughters. He has no plans to visit his birthplace ever again.

Kay is the oldest of Lee’s daughters. She, just like most of her family, was born and raised in Corpus Christi. She also works in the AC business like her father as a counter sales representative at an AC supply store. According to Kay, she hopes to get married and have her own place in the future, preferably on a piece of land that she can call her own.