Nameless people we meet

Elderly man

Today I had to catch the bus to go to my dentist appointment (#4 of 5). I went to the bus stop to catch the 17. About 99% of the time, no one is at this stop (unless it is way early in the morning). As I walked across the street, I saw an elderly man with a cane, about 60 or 70 sitting at the stop.

I walked behind the bench where he was sitting to stand in the shade since it was very hot by mid-morning. I was listening to my headphones and after about a minute the man said "Nice day isn't it?" I replied that it was and we chatted a bit about the weather.

Soon we were talking about all sorts of thing. He was a very polite and talkative man. He told me about the apartments he's lived in, including the one he bought from a Geology couple who moved here but 4 months later, lost their jobs. He told me how he played football and did track in high school in college but now has two bad knees and how he slipped and hurt his shoulder and then a week later had a heart attack and how he's going to have to get knee surgery at the end of the summer. He told me stories about being a claims adjuster and all the places he worked and was transfered to. He has two sons but lives alone now. He pointed out a place on Wadsworth that aparently has wonderful pastries. We talked about how fast Lakewood has developed, and he said he was taking the bus, just to check to see if he had mail at the post office.

One thing I thought while I was talking to him was, "I wish I had him as one of my relatives".

He said he liked to check his mail usually on Fridays, I think I may try to make a card or something to put on the bench with a little keepsake for next Friday.

So as we were chatting on the bus, this young punkette girl gets on. She's maybe in 8th grade, thin, dark hair. As she sits down I here this loud giddy "yay!!". I am thinking "WTF, Mate?". The elderly man and I are in our conversation, but in a pause I hear the girl say "So, do you like Sailor Moon?" For a second I am like "Excuse me? Did I hear you right?" Then I remembered that I was wearing my really old backpack and it has a Sailor Moon patch sewn on it. I told her "Yeah, I used to watch it alot, now I watch a bunch of different anime..."

Note: This is the second time a conversation has started with "So, do you like Sailor Moon?" The last time was Sophmore year of college when I was at CU-Denver. Some of you may recall me talking about Anime boy. His real name escapes me now, but he was THE fanboy of fanboys. He read, watched, ate, breathed and slept for anime. He taped Dragonball Z while we were in class so he wouldn't miss it. He only read manga and anime mags, and only watched anime (not just when it came to TV but also movies). He was in my Geology lab and had a tremendous crush on me, just based on the fact that I like Sailor Moon. I am suprised I didn't run into him at NDK last year. He probably would have jumped me in my Chobits outfit.

ANYWAY, I will get back to my main point of the post. Nameless people we meet....

After talking to this man and parting to our respective buses we transfered to, I felt so happy. I wanted to give everyone I saw a hug. I felt like giving the whole world a hug. I felt a bit like P.J. and just offering hugs to passing people. I couldn't stop smiling.

On the bus there was a cute pair of 70 somthing Japanese ladies on the bus, who would speaking in Japanese between bites of sticky buns, there was grandmother and her 7 year old grandson going through all the mail they had picked up, there was an 20 somthing balck man with a small scar on his face and baggy pants and baseball cap, looking around at the other passangers with kindly eyes, etc. All these nameless people whom I just happen to be on the same bus with as our live cross paths.

We meet so many nameless strangers in our lives, with whom we may have passing conversations or just occupy the same space at some point in time.

After talking to the elderly man, I thought about an everday bus ride slightly different. I think all these years of not driving and being forced to take public transportation have made me grow alot as a person.

I raise my glass to the countless nameless people I have met and will meet in my lifetime.

Current Mood: I still want to give the world a hug
Current Music: Happy - Fischerspooner