A Short Story The Bus-stop Girl Day 1 – Monday I was bored to death, once again, waiting for the bus at the bus stop. Beside me were the same people who had more deathly faces than me. The bus stop reeked with boredom, apathy, monotony and I-don’t-give-a-f#@k kind of expressions for the routine that we followed every day. Those expressions would haunt me like bethal hanging on my back until I left the bus stop. But I had no other go, I had to face the inevitable every day like a prisoner who is on a torturous parole. Standing at the bus stop, I would pray to god to shower some mercy, send some angel to pull me out from the black hole of boredom and illuminate my soul. But I don’t think god is listening to me because all the years, months, days, minutes and seconds of prayer, he never showed any leniency in punishing me. I wonder what kind of expression he might be wearing on his face while listening to my prayer…… Son-I-don’t-give-a-damn-F#@K…..!!! But I still prayed, putting more pressure on god so that he accepts my prayers one day. The muted prayers circled in my body, as they had no vent to escape. They stopped circling when I heard giggles from my back. I turned back to see the person who let out those sugar coated giggles. When I saw her, I completely stopped praying as I felt there is no need to pray anymore. The angel has finally arrived. She walked pass me, accompanying a woman, as every soul, in the bus stop, turned to look at her. Her giggles along with intermittent questions to the woman she accompanied, began to catch everybody’s attention. Within a second, I saw smiles on all the faces surrounding her. Before her aura could enchant us for some more time, her bus arrived and she hopped on to it. I tried to steal few more glimpses of her as she waved her hand to the woman who accompanied her to the bus stop. Within a second, she was gone. I felt like a lightening struck to me or a smell of flower soothing my senses or gushing water flowing over me, at the same time. But I couldn’t decide which one of it explained my plight better. I just looked up and said: God-you-did-give-a-F#@K. Day 2 – Tuesday Yesterday’s event hung over me like a night’s hangover. I thought the praying has stopped but no, it has just changed. I was now praying for her early arrival so that I could catch a glimpse of her before I left. She came accompanied with the same woman and the mesmerizing giggles. She stood just few inches from me talking to the woman. I couldn’t take my eyes off her as I felt some magnetic field around her, holding my view from getting distracted. Few seconds into her talk with the woman, she suddenly looked at me and her expression changed from happy to scary within fraction of a second. She moved towards other side and hid behind the woman. She discreetly tried to look at me but she would shuffle to cover herself as soon as I looked at her. This hide and seek game went on for few seconds until her bus arrived. She boarded her bus and began to wave her hand towards the woman. When I turned towards her, she immediately withdrew her hand from the window and stopped looking back. The bus left the bus stop and my mind began to contemplate: Did I offend her in anyway? Day 3 – Wednesday When I arrived at the bus stop, she was already there. As soon as I stepped close to her, she again moved behind the woman as if she is afraid of me. I moved away from her as I didn’t want to offend her again. Few minutes into the waiting, a car zip passed before us splashing water from a pothole. Of all the people standing at the bus stop, the filthy water pinpointed me as its target. I was utterly embarrassed as everybody stared at me, bearing sneers on their faces. More than drenching in the stinking water, I was furious at the stares people threw at me. Before seething anger could pierce my body, I looked at her. She was smiling. The giggles were back. Her giggles made me forget all the embarrassment as I stood smiling back. Before her giggles could recede, her bus arrived. She sat on the window seat and waved her hand towards the woman, throwing a smile at me. I looked up and said: Thank you god for splashing holy water on me. Day 4 – Thursday Damn, damn, damn…. damn sleep, damn alarm, damn liquor, damn late night party, damn my roommates…… I was late and I was furious. The late night party with my roommates had cost me dearly. Today I wanted to talk to her but my weakness for booze had taken away that opportunity. I hurried towards the bus stop fearing her departure. When I arrived at the bus stop, she was about to board her bus. It looked as if she was also looking out for me and when she saw me, a smile appeared on her face automatically. She waved her hand towards the woman and then to me with the smile intact. I waved my hand at her. The bus began to move away from me and I thought: So close yet so far…… Day 5 – Friday I was waiting at the bus stop from past half an hour. I had decided that I would talk to her today at any cost, as I didn’t want to let the matter extend to the weekends. In fact, I had brought a gift for her, which sat, silently in my trouser pocket. I heard giggles that fell on my ear like a sufi song. She came and stood beside me. This time she didn’t hid herself behind the woman. I looked at her and threw a smile. She returned it with a smile on her face. “Hi” I said. She stared at me gingerly and turned her face towards the woman. I took out a Cadbury dairy milk chocolate from my pocket and held it before her. “I am Jaggi and this is for you” I said. “Mummy” said the little girl looking at her mother. She took the chocolate after her mother gave permission. “Pinky say thank you to uncle” said her mother. “Thank you un…..” “No, no…. no uncle, we are friends, say Jaggi” I said interrupting her. “Thank you Jaggi uncle” said the cute girl with a giggle. I laughed heartily at her innocence, looked up and said: Thank you god for blessing me.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 12:30:31 +0000
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