侘寂

The scent of urine causes an immediate gag reflex. I turn my head in all different directions to try to navigate where the smell is coming from. It is definitely coming from the right side of me but it is beyond my seat partner. I think it is travelling from across the aisle. It has set its eyes on me and is now waging war against my Bath and Body Works Warm Sugar body spray that I apply every morning. I feel like the scent is covering me. It is causing a bit of my claustrophobia to kick in. I bury my nose into my scarf and try to observe more beautiful things to get my mind off of it. Across the isle there is a woman with a red purse. It shines a deep wine red over a snake skin pattern, it looks like candy.
In front of the woman is a little girl wearing pigtails in her hair held by rainbow colored hair bands. Her hair is black with sweet tight curls and her skin is a soft bronze. She catches my eye and smiles at me. As she smiles, her eyes grow wider and squint a little from the pushing of the muscles behind her plump cheeks. This little darling doesn’t think about how dirty the seats and windows are, nor does she worry about who sits near her or how she seems to the people that pass through her life. She sees beauty all around her through her untainted eyes, and she is glad.

TURN-A-ROUND

I have to get off here and catch a new bus back home or somewhere else.
The driver looks at me a bit concerned and asks, “Do you know where you’re goin’ sweetie?”
“No, but isn’t that the fun of it?” I smile. “I’ll figure it out,” I say.
“Good luck darlin’,” he says, sincerely.
“Thanks, have a good one.”
He drives away. I stand there looking around at the streets signs directing me to places I don’t know. I take a deep breath that smells like soot and stings my face a bit from the cold. Where to now? I don’t need an invitation; I just need the courage to go.