I dance-walked from work to the bus stop. It was a Saturday !! This meant that I had 1.5 days to myself. To cook, to experiment, to trek, to read and do everything the other 5.5 days at work wouldn't let me. To live the life work had taken away from me. The life I was living in the wide-eyed dreams of the 12 year old me.
My bus stood at the stop, ready to leave. I panicked and rushed to make it just in time through the massive 50-human-barricade which even hung outside the bus.
Sandwiched between a mob of fish-paan-sweat-smoke smelling travellers in the bus, I struggled to reach my pant pockets for my handkerchief. The pushing and unsuccessful dodging had smudged the lens of my glasses to render my vision blur and make me practically blind. As I tried to clean the lens amidst the shouting, howling and chatter, the driver hit the breaks. It threw all the passengers including me to the front, but my glasses managed to get thrown a little further, out of the bus. I kept my cool and sat on the seat reserved for the Physically handicapped. I could not see. Colors and odours moved in and out. I waited desparately to get out at my stop.
"Excuse me, do you mind holding my bag for a minute while I pay for my ticket?" asked an innocent voice. 14/15 I thought.
"Sure!" I said, "provided you help me count my money".
She thought I was blind. I did not care to explain.
I took her bag and she helped me count. The bus was too crowded and she could not get a seat. I offered to hold her school bag until she got off.
A few minutes and 2 stops later, I smelt alcohol enter. The smell kept lingering and did not leave. I heard the driver shout "Men go back. Ladies in front". But I still smelt alcohol. He was there. He did not move.
The next few minutes were mute, yet disturbing in an un-describeable way. The women were still talking, there was loud music playing from someone blue and the sound of traffic was deafening. Yet, there was a disturbing silence.
I held the girl's bag to make sure it was still there and she was still on board. I wanted to check, for some reason. Alcohol was still there too. I was worried. Maybe because I could not see. Or watching too much CID and reading the news paper was making me overly anxious for nothing. Thoughts and fear rushed through my head.
"DO NOT TOUCH ME". a voice screamed. A voice I almost failed to recognise. That same innocent voice that helped me count my money.
The next minute, she took her bag from my hold, said a warm "Thank you" and walked out of the bus.
I did not see her after that and I probably never will. I only know her by her voice.
My bus stood at the stop, ready to leave. I panicked and rushed to make it just in time through the massive 50-human-barricade which even hung outside the bus.
Sandwiched between a mob of fish-paan-sweat-smoke smelling travellers in the bus, I struggled to reach my pant pockets for my handkerchief. The pushing and unsuccessful dodging had smudged the lens of my glasses to render my vision blur and make me practically blind. As I tried to clean the lens amidst the shouting, howling and chatter, the driver hit the breaks. It threw all the passengers including me to the front, but my glasses managed to get thrown a little further, out of the bus. I kept my cool and sat on the seat reserved for the Physically handicapped. I could not see. Colors and odours moved in and out. I waited desparately to get out at my stop.
"Excuse me, do you mind holding my bag for a minute while I pay for my ticket?" asked an innocent voice. 14/15 I thought.
"Sure!" I said, "provided you help me count my money".
She thought I was blind. I did not care to explain.
I took her bag and she helped me count. The bus was too crowded and she could not get a seat. I offered to hold her school bag until she got off.
A few minutes and 2 stops later, I smelt alcohol enter. The smell kept lingering and did not leave. I heard the driver shout "Men go back. Ladies in front". But I still smelt alcohol. He was there. He did not move.
The next few minutes were mute, yet disturbing in an un-describeable way. The women were still talking, there was loud music playing from someone blue and the sound of traffic was deafening. Yet, there was a disturbing silence.
I held the girl's bag to make sure it was still there and she was still on board. I wanted to check, for some reason. Alcohol was still there too. I was worried. Maybe because I could not see. Or watching too much CID and reading the news paper was making me overly anxious for nothing. Thoughts and fear rushed through my head.
"DO NOT TOUCH ME". a voice screamed. A voice I almost failed to recognise. That same innocent voice that helped me count my money.
The next minute, she took her bag from my hold, said a warm "Thank you" and walked out of the bus.
I did not see her after that and I probably never will. I only know her by her voice.
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