A Man on a Bus
As he climbs the steps up entering the bus he is reminiscent of the life
he has lived. Smiling to the driver he deposits his change into the meter and
slowly makes his way to a seat on the driver’s side; he always sits on the
driver’s side. The bus has only three people on it. About the same for this
time of night. He is staggered a bit as the bus pulls away from the stop so he
lets the motion help him to fall into the seat, sliding over he moves up to the
wall and looks out the window.
The
night is broken by the blue white glare of the street lamps, the amber and green
glow of the stop lights all being reflected on the still wet pavement. He settles
into the corner and lets his head rest into the corner between the head rest
and the glass feeling the cool glass he feels the cold wind as he and his
friends are skating along the edge of the lake, staying close
to the shore using the houses as a wind break they work their way upwind to the
far end of the lake. Crossing to the center the boys line up looking at each others back,
turned edgewise to the wind until they all are in line. Shouting “NOW” nearly
in unison they all turn their backs to the wind, throw up their arms billowing
out their coats and let the wind catch them. Wind and sun at their backs and on
the newly sharpened blades of their hockey skates they move faster and faster
along the rough windswept ice.
Hitting
a rough spot in the pavement the bus bounces him on the bicycle seat as he
crest the hill and flashes down. Remembering that the trail turns sharply to
the right at the bottom he pushes the peddles back braking the rear tire,
sliding he turns into the new trail whooping to the ones behind him. Bouncing
along, down into a gully and up onto the road. He is followed by the other boys
except one that did not make the turn. Sliding sideways with the braked rear
wheel they all come to a stop laughing and waiting for the last boy to pick
himself up from the long grass and catch up.
The
bus turns left and his head looses contact with the window as he skates as fast
as he can. There is no moon tonight but that does not matter. The game is hid
and seeks on the lake and he is the prey this time. The other boys are not far
behind and will tag him soon unless he can lose them in the dark. The sounds of
heavy breathing and the rasping sounds of the skates are all that can be heard.
As he looks to his right his foot contacts a small drift of snow pulling his
feet out and behind him. Before he can recover his head hits the window again
as a street lamp flashes by. Making contact with the ice head first he tastes
the pain as well as see the flash of light and can hear the melon like thump.
Spinning and sliding as his momentum ends with the friction of the ice and
snow. Laying still trying to get keep from blacking out he realizes that the
other boys have skated by him not seeing him, dark on the dark ice. He smiles
through the pain knowing he has won this round.
Smiling
as he sleeps he turns to Rich pointing up. “LOOK AT THAT MAN” as another
firework explodes above the boat. They had rowed out here for almost an hour
just to get below where the fireworks are set off. They both think this is the
best 4th of July ever. Hot glowing embers and other debris are
falling all around them as they whoop and shout. Another blue white flash as
the next street light moves alongside the bus and then is gone.
The
bus stops to pick up another passenger and he comes partly awake. His eyes open only
momentarily as the doors close and the warm breeze slides past his cheek,
turning he kisses her. The sand shifting
under him as he twists to put his arm around her. It is so warm here and the
smell of the sea along with the sounds of the waves booming makes this the perfect
place to sit and purpose to her. He reaches up to brush the hair from his head
feeling the trace of blood Running
through the woods nude sounded like great idea until the branch smacked him
with that ruler, she was mad because I fell asleep in class, this boring Sunday school class.
“Hey”
yells the driver. Fishcreek road, ain’t that your stop?” Startled by the yell
he wakes up, looking up he sees a slumbering woman start and then get up. The woman
exits the bus followed by a sigh of brakes and the closing thump of the door as
the bus lurches forward again. He turns his tired eyes to the window and
without realizing they have been walking for hours. This new dredge cut behind
the dam is like walking on another planet. Both of the boys are happily walking
along under blue skies. The summer heat is dissipated in waves by the breeze
that blows past them. They are talking about being the only people left on the
world and that they have to find a girl. The sharp smell of urine rises as they have
a pissing contest down the embankment, a contest that no one ever wins. They
turn and head back the way they came. He stumbles and he is jerked awake again
as the bus slams to a stop amid the curses of the driver at the jay walker. Pulling
the bus to the curb the driver opens the door with a slam. The rider gets
slowly to his feet and heads to the front of the bus, this is his stop. As he
descends the stairs he pauses to say good night to the driver, he is thinking
that another day is nearly done as he walks home alone.
