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Monday, September 22, 2014

Bus Stop, Early Monday Morning; or Nostalgia

Monday morning.  Again.  And here is the bus.

Again.

I have settled into my usual seat – the one just after the surveillance camera.  

I like to know that, should I be accosted in any way, there will be a record of it.

They climb aboard one stop after mine, shivering and under-dressed.

The young couple coming down the aisle is sorely misplaced. 

I pull an earplug, in case they speak.

His arm is around her.  Skin-tight black pants, a torn Misfits tee-shirt, black Converse tennis shoes, he has a young, sleepy scowl on his face.  It is clear that he is here to guard her against the wiles of the 6:30 Monday morning commuters.

Because you just never know what us bus types might do. 

I cast a sideways glance at them.  Clad in torn fishnets, her white legs are sure to be goose-bumped, although I cannot conceive of a way to appropriately ascertain this. She pulls long, slender legs under her, a fawn of a girl-woman, only to remember the view she is no doubt giving the bus driver, should he check his mirror. 

She places her feet on the floor, leans into the young man and lays her head on his shoulder.  He kisses her temple.  I watch as he pulls his phone out, checks Facebook. 

I watch as he takes a picture of her. 

And I think of the men who have loved me.

I get off the bus, step into the City Center, head toward the elevator.

They never spoke, those two on the bus.


They didn’t need to. 

20 comments:

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh Pearl you have the best observation skills of anyone I know. Love like that wow:) Stay near that camera for the record:) Hug B

Shelly said...


I was right there with you...pondering and appreciating young love.

vanilla said...

Not a word from them, and you got your story anyway. Well played.

Should Fish More said...

Now I've got Frankie Avalon singing in my head.

Pearl said...

Buttons, they made me a bit wistful. So young, so together.
And then I remember how tumultuous being young is. :-)

Shelly, there's always a seat for you!

vanilla, looking back at it, I'm rather glad they didn't speak!

SFM, :-) Stop that now.

Dawn@Lighten Up! said...

Such a lovely morning vignette!

Unknown said...

I love reading the scenarios you describe! They are so detailed, I feel like I'm there with you!

Joanne Noragon said...

I wonder where they are going.

jenny_o said...

I wonder if they'll be together fifty years from now. Some young couples have old souls and know that they belong together.

How is it that you can write a piece of a few dozen words, yet create a picture that's worth more than a thousand? Your scenes stay with me for a long time.

Hilary said...

That is so tender.

Ian Lidster said...

That, my dear friend (and it's been too long since I've been here) was very bitter-sweet in its bitter-sweetness. Beautifully done.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Such a gentle Monday morning... YAM xx

Launna said...

That was beautiful Pearl... that was love...

Elephant's Child said...

Awwww.

Connie said...

Aw, this was sweet to read. :-)

Carol Kilgore said...

I loved this! It would make a great opening to a novel :)

Gigi said...

And now we are all pondering what the future holds for them.

Catalyst said...

Pearl, that is poetry.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Another great post

Linda O'Connell said...

You know, you could really take these characters for a "ride" if you wrote them into a story.