Stranger

I watched the city zipping by from the cold, stained window of the bus on my righthand side. I was clutching my purse. Across sitting from me sat a lady. She carefully looked down at my woolen feather skirt and asked me, "May I have a piece of gum?" I replied to her, "I might have some in my purse" I reached into my leather pleated purse, searched the purse to the right of the bag. Then to the left of the bag. I reached into my right and left pockets. I searched my back pockets but to my recollection, I did not have any gum. "Sorry m'am, I do not have any gum." Her face wallowed over in somberness, her hands rested on her lap quite blue and pale-looking like a hyacinth. As I lay sitting, I began to ponder like I always did. I began to observe each stranger that lie swaying side to side throughout on this bus. I studied their clothes, their hair. I compared thier looks to the men and women who model in fashion magazines like I always did. I compared their looks to those of my work friends, even if they didn't look slightly similar. I wondered where they were going and why they were going there. I pondered what their past must have been like, what challenges they might have gone through. I figured a few of them might be going through some challenges already, but none the less I would have never found out. I wondered if the people inside of my bus were any different than the people who walked around outside of the bus. None the matter, was not of my business. I continued to see outside of my stained window, admiring the color-tinted city. As the bus came to gate B, the familiar people on my bus walked off. Five more came in and we began boarding. It had only been a few minutes more, few minutes left for me to embrace the euphoria of the morning placidity among the turbulence behind the wheels that keep this thing going. To take in all of the scene at once. The trees, this city. The cars, the people walking by. Simple, still, yet moving. Screeching noise, among faint conversations. Loud thoughts, among a quiet soul. As the bus came to a stop, I picked up my umbrella and followed close behind the crowd that has exited. I stood there in solitude with my umbrella ready to progress towards my next destination, perhaps a life-changing destination. Perhaps one that could shape my future. I stood as all the people around me had left to follow their futures, never to be seen again. But before I left a stranger chased after me and whispered, "You forgot your gum." ~