I was on my way to visit my cousin at her school. In order to get to the university where she works and attends classes, I have to pass by my own home in the city. Why do I do this I ask myself? I don’t know — she asks — no pleads with me to come visit her and I always give in. So here I am waiting for my connecting bus at the Greyhound bus station. It’s pretty quiet  here today — maybe too quiet. I know there won’t be many people on their way to the university or to any other place near there. See, my cousin says it’s pretty dull up there. Every weekend all the students go home. Well, not all of the students, but a good many do go home since the campus is so close to the city. The campus is left feeling like a ghost town. My cousin just hates it but her campus job keeps her there.

I don’t especially mind the trip up to the university once I get used to it. The trip takes about 6 or 7 hours altogether from start to finish.

I usually like to sit towards the front of the bus near the driver, partly because I feel a little safer that way when the bus is half empty and partly because the smokers go straight to the back of the bus. I can usually get a seat by myself on the second half of the trip. I’m glad about that.

I never sleep on the bus. I may bring some snacks or a lunch. I most definitely bring my Walkman and magazines and my textbooks which I’ll probably never open. But strangely enough I never get bored on these bus trips. I’ve always felt comfortable just sitting quietly, alone with my thoughts and opinions.

I’m first in line to board the bus. I pay keen attention to announcements over the loudspeaker and I watch for a person who looks like he’d be the bus driver of my bus — that’s how I know just when to start lining up. There are other students in line I notice. I wonder if they’re going to visit someone too. I don’t guess they’d be returning to school — not on a Friday anyway. This bus makes no stops before I get off so everyone else is destined for the university or the surrounding area. One lady wrestles with two small children as they board the bus. There’s an older lady waiting to board. The older gentleman must be her husband. He’s making sure she gets on the bus and is seated comfortably. One little kid is all by himself. His mother gives the bus driver last minute instructions.

The bus ride is uneventful. We run into a little road construction out on the edge of the city but otherwise it’s a nice sunny day. The sky is clear and you can see for miles in every direction.