A girl gets on. She has seven deep slashes on each wrist, newly transforming into thick purple scars from peeling scabs. She's wearing skinny jeans, a trendy shirt. She spends the entire ride on her cell phone, giggling and talking loudly.
Someone gets off, and I, who have been standing, take his seat. A woman glares at me for the rest of the ride.
I am wearing headphones, sunglasses, reading a book. The Eastern European woman next to me tries to talk to me. I ignore her. She speaks. I say nothing. Finally, she taps me on the shoulder. I take a bud out of my ear, push my sunglasses up onto my head, look at her inquiringly:
"It's a lovely day, don't you think?"
A man will not stop itching his leg. He grates at it furiously through his pants. I become convinced that he has fleas.
excellent! I feel like I was there!
ReplyDeletea main character in my novel cuts her wrists like that. great writing!
ReplyDeleteIs this for real? It was fascinating. I wish it didn't end so soon!
ReplyDeleteShe interrupted your for that? Sheesh, at least come up with something better. I'm just saying...
ReplyDeletei love the bus... i was just talking to a friend whilst jogging about the wilds of bus taking...
ReplyDeleteFleas.
ReplyDelete*shudder*
Ewww, public transportation.
ReplyDeleteThank crap I don't have to take it anymore. Got a little tired of people sitting ON me.
Eek! Sounds like a fun day. Great writing too, btw
ReplyDeleteOh the joys of public transportation!
ReplyDeleteThe joy of being fat is that in Honolulu people thought I was pregnant, and even the most full bus would have senior citizens offering me their seats...
ReplyDeleteI'm not cut out for public transport. Thankfully I live in Texas, where this is perfectly normal.
ReplyDeleteCool post! I'd slit my wrists if I had to take public transportation, seriously -- well, maybe not, but I'd want to.
ReplyDeleteWith my spacial relations issues, I just cannot do that kind of thing.
You know, I may complain about the disconnectedness amongst people in society today and all that, but I'm not sure I would be happy about someone persistently tapping my shoulder to start an aimless conversation.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I need to reassess my life and purpose.
I love a good cross-section of someone's day!
ReplyDeleteOh my ... I've been a terrible blopper as of late, and I've just started following your blog, so first off, my apologies. I didn't want you to think I was a crazed lurker, or cyber-stalker.
ReplyDeleteI love perceptions like this. I really need to do more of them myself. In order to do that ... I would need to carry around a scroll, and some type of ink transferring device. I'm sure they have a name and I just can't recall what that is.
Lovely writing, and I'll blop back by soon!
Maybe he had body lice...
ReplyDeleteNever a dull moment.... on the bus!
ReplyDelete