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Friday, January 8, 2016

The Fog on the Windows

The bus is a mess.

And why shouldn’t it be?  It’s rush hour, after all, and we’ve packed ourselves in, a random sampling of Midwestern commuters.

Women seasonally ensconced in mobile sleeping bags? 

Teenagers wearing giant panda heads for hats? 

Random dudes of all ages dressed, so help me, in shorts and windbreakers?

Yup.

Anecdotal evidence would lead one to believe that bus ridership goes up in the winter – or perhaps it’s just that we all appear to be so much bigger, what with our overstuffed coats and our giant panda headgear; and so I am relieved to have a window seat.  

I am staring straight ahead when they get on at the Light Rail stop. 

There has been damage, somewhere along the line, to this couple.  Not born to it, perhaps, but acquired during a car accident, maybe.  I imagine that the world appears to them as if it is underwater, or possibly as if viewed through a mist.  They move slowly, looking for seats together.

There haven’t been two open seats next to each other for at least five blocks.

The man across the aisle from me stands, calling “Back door!” and exits.  Through experience, I know his stop is not for another two blocks, but I’ve seen this before.  He’s making room.

The man who had been seated next to him stands, moves toward the exit.  “I need to stretch,” he says to the couple.

They move to the seats.  “Affa you,” the man says.  The woman smiles.  She sits, proclaims, “I’m hungry!”

He laughs. 

They both laugh.


And I smile and use a finger to draw a smiley face on the fogged window next to me.  

27 comments:

Unknown said...

You captured that scene really well. These are my favorite kind of blog posts, when done right, and you did! Great.

jenny_o said...

Beautiful. Both the incident and your telling of it. You do this so well, Pearl. I love that the other commuters were looking out for these two.

Anonymous said...

Random acts of kindness among bus riders....who knew?

Anonymous said...

I love your scenes from the bus!!

savannah said...

:)

I could see them and you! Dolores is right, random acts of kindness make us all better. xoxoxox

Joanne Noragon said...

Kindness in the morning can stretch out all day.

Watson said...

Pearlie! You're Back! I missed you too.
Just received the notice of this post and had some problems getting the comment box to open. But it finally worked. And I went back and read the previous posts so had a feast. I agree with others who gave such good advice and also with them, offer supportive hugs and good wishes and more hugs.

I hope your mattresses have been picked up, or will be soon.
Watson's Barbara

The Cranky said...

This made my eyeballs a bit sweaty...

Elephant's Child said...

How nice that you ride the bus with other people as warm-hearted as you are.

Jono said...

Minnesota nice at your service. I like your bus stories.

Silliyak said...

From the title I was expecting something about your new friend, BAIT AND SWITCH! (you really don't need to do that) You're also getting my hopes up for a daily dose of Pearl....

Anonymous said...

Pearl--Thanks for taking us along on your bus ride. It's a freakish fifty-something degrees in St.Louis, but this weekend, they say we're getting a few inches of snow.

Gigi said...

Those little acts of kindness make me smile and my eyes tear up. The world could learn something from those two gentlemen.

Gigi said...

Those little acts of kindness make me smile and my eyes tear up. The world could learn something from those two gentlemen.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari om
...Am so very glad this 'bus' has resumed service... YAM xx

Linda O'Connell said...

Proof that decent people ride your bus. Love this!

Connie said...

Aw, such a sweet story. And you tell it so well. Thanks for the smile, Pearl. :)

Should Fish More said...

Ken Kesey, the Oregon author, "Sometimes a Great Notion", "Cuckoo's Nest" and the subject of Wolfe's "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test", coined a phrase...."On the bus, or off the bus".....in reference to the bus he took cross country in '65.
Clearly, you're on the bus.

Catalyst said...

Minnesotans are good peoples. Yes, they are.

Camille said...

Hurray! Our Pearl is back and in fine, fine form too. Have been sitting here catching up on your last few new posts and am so happy,happy,happy! How we have missed you! X

Rose L said...

Love to see random acts of kindness in the world. Renews my faith in mankind.

River said...

I've seen that unobtrusive 'making room' here too, I've even given up my own seat a few times. It's the right thing to do.

Roses said...

Aww....I miss riding the bus.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Wow, I'm impressed that two riders were that considerate, and happy that you shared the story. Happy New Year, Pearl!

sage said...

A nice act and the smiling face on the frosty window is the perfect ending. Thanks for sharing your commute with us.

the walking man said...

Pearl did I mention that one of my nephews moved to your town, found himself a blond wife and everything. so this was to be his first winter--he opted off the bus to go study in Dubai. I think he forgets his midwestern snowbound puffy ass jacket roots.

Diane Stringam Tolley said...

No one can capture the gems of daily life quite like you can, Pearl! I've missed you so!