“Well, there’s a lot of wrong things in the world,” the old man sitting next to me said. His face was full of smile and his eyes were full of twinkle. “And you, my friend, are the kind of person who lets it all go to your head. Don’t do that. Never give in or you’ll be a victim, not a survivor.”

There was a lot of truth and sincerity in what he said. We rode on a mile or two down the road and I started to watch people coming out of cars and going into buildings. I had an awesome desire to know them all, watching their faces, searching for clues to their personality as I sat patiently on the bus.

Then a couple of elderly women with big, straw-flowered hats got on at the next bus stop. They were rudely pushed aside by a middle-aged businessman with “Walkmans.” They gave him a disgusting look. One woman pulled off the right side of his earphones and said, “Those things aren’t good for you, sonny. You’ll lose your hearing way before us.”

I chuckled to myself since they were so obnoxious. The bus driver had to tell them to sit down and leave the man alone. They pushed the man aside and found a seat on the bus near me. They smiled at me.

The driver collected the fares and put them into a glass box. The bus went into gear and we were on our way. I watched the old ladies. Why not just let them ride for free, as old as they are, I thought to myself. How “unfare” for them to have to pay anything for a ride on public transportation.

They got out their transfers and sat in a dignified manner, back as straight as possible, heads erect and looking out the window like I was, some of the time. The looked like they were used to being obnoxious and really didn’t care. They swayed to the left and right when the bus turned the corners, and held on to each other’s arms for support. They talked pertly about nothing. I tuned out and listened to my headphones for awhile, wondering what I’d be like when I was their age. The old man sitting next to me got up to leave.

He buttoned up his sweater, squished his tan fishing hat down on his head and crumpled up his paper bag that was full of clinking gadgets from somewhere. He pulled the cable above the window, stood up and said to me as he was leaving, “Take care, sweety.”

Spooky. He had the twinkliest eyes I’d ever seen.

Anyway, the man got off the bus. I was curious to see if he was going to look at me again but he didn’t, just kept on going down the street meandering into a dime store cafe. I just felt that I’d see him again somehow.

The bus pulled ahead and I lost my balance, swaying awkwardly toward the window. Just like life, I thought to myself. I wanted to look back at the old man but I didn’t. Something told me it wouldn’t be right. Then I noticed the two old women looking at me, watching me, smiling at me with that quick kind of look. They started talking to each other about a friend of theirs that had died last week.

“She was the loveliest person I’d ever met,” one started in.

“Yes, and how that woman could cook. But you now, she never married after her first husband passed away. Had lots of offers, too. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

I smiled at them, wondering how many times they’d been married. Down the street a block or two were a couple of men about their age standing on the corner. The ladies spied them and pulled the cable to be let off.

“Well, they’re here on time for a change. Come on, let’s go.”

Off the bus they went, arm in arm with these old men going into the 99 Cents Store.

What a world was all I could think of, to work all your life until you’re so old you have to take a bus to get around, and eat at cheap cafes. Oh well, there might not even be busses around when I’m that old, I mean, I may never be old.  Well I hope not.

I waved at them as the bus sped away, discovering that I was supposed to get off two stops before. God, I’m senile already!