about? Judging by some of the speeches in Parliament, not too often.

But UBP Sen. Larry Scott, at least, had some personal experience to draw on when he addressed the upper house this week on the subject of the Transport Ministry.

Speaking about public transport, he revealed he had actually ridden on a bus that very morning.

Not that he had any choice in the matter, he admitted. His bike got a puncture and he was forced to abandon it near the Belmont hotel.

He gave senators a blow-by-blow account of how he boarded a bus and struggled with the complex system of fares.

He recalled that earlier, PLP senator Neletha Butterfield had urged him to "take a bus and see what happens''.

When he noticed his puncture, the thought flashed through his mind: "Oh dear.

Senator Butterfield has placed a curse on me.'' * * * It has been more than a week since the Queen left Bermuda, but many residents still speak fondly of the visit and of the Queen herself.

One Reserve Constable, for instance, passed on these snippets of Her Majesty's walkabout in King's Square, St. George where local verds, American brashness and Royal reserve blended charmingly.

As she passed by the crowds behind security barriers, one woman with a heavy Boston accent shouted: "Hi Queen.'' Her Majesty turned slightly and said, perhaps with unintended understatement: "Good afternoon. You're from America I presume.'' "Yeah, Boston,'' the woman said.

"Well it's so very nice to meet you,'' the Queen said, moving on.

Moments later, a young St. David's boy said: "Ver's ya Craawn?'' The Queen said something, though beyond the hearing of our Reserve Constable.

"Okay,'' the boy said.

As the Queen moved on, someone who had watched the BBC documentary of the Queen's life on ZBM two nights earlier shouted "I like your horses.'' * * * Royal Gazette Editor Mr. David L. White gets a lot of telephone calls every day, many of which leave him thinking "damned if you do, damned if you don't''.

Yesterday was no exception.

After reading the newspaper's survey on Independence, a woman called Mr. White and said: "I work in an office and nobody here was called as part of this survey.

"I think someone in every family should be called if you're going to do these surveys. No-one here knows anything about it.'' The editor then explained how the survey was conducted and ended saying "I can assure you it's accurate''.

The woman answered: "Only God can do that. He knows.''