Church is gone, but the windows survive

Illustration by Bo Brown

Dear Benny,
When I first came to the area I lived at 3327 Chestnut St., next to Asbury Methodist Church. I was wondering where the stained glass windows were that they removed from the church before it burnt down.
— Longtime Neighbor

Dear Neighbor,
They have been spirited away to a safe location for storage, according to Barry Hilts, associate vice president for facilities services, who adds, “We are trying to find an appropriate way to incorporate these windows into a future campus project.”

Dear Benny,
When I got on a Penn Shuttle West van at Moravian Cafés the other night with my friends, I saw the right front seat was empty, and called “shotgun” on it. But the driver had some stuff in the seat and refused to let me sit there. He also kept anyone else from sitting there, even when the van got pretty full. Was he just being a jerk?
— Miffed at Moravian

Dear Miffed,
No, he was just following Penn Shuttle Service procedures. Drivers are instructed to leave the right front seat empty unless no other seats are available. This is done for two reasons. Riders with crutches or canes find it easier to enter the front seat, so it is reserved for them if any show up on a run. Right front seat passengers can also block the driver’s view of the right-hand side view mirror, which is essential for the driver to see what is happening to his right.

Besides, since all passengers must wear seat belts, you would not have been able to turn easily to speak to your friends in the back.

Got a question for Benny? You can ask Benny about benefits, worklife issues, University history or trivia, or other matters pertaining to life at Penn. Send it via e-mail to current@pobox.upenn.edu or via regular mail to the Current, 200 Sansom Place East, 3600 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6106. A Current coffee mug goes to those whose questions we publish.