I was boarding the bus, alone, for the first time. It was a misty, foggy day in June. I was a little nervous, I had to admit. Riding public transport alone was likely an irrational fear and I wanted to overcome it. That, and I wanted to check out the organic foods store. I had become more interested in healthy eating, as I was now an age where normally people cook for themselves.
I looked around for an empty seat, but the bus was pretty full. I ended up sitting on an aisle seat, so I could be sure I'd escape in time for my stop. It probably wasn't so necessary, but it eased my mind a bit. Whoever was sitting next to me was falling asleep inside the hood of their swishy black jacket. I decided they should be amongst the least intimidating people to sit next to on the bus.
It was pretty silent on that bus except for a few Spanish mumbles coming from the back. I would have tried to eavesdrop, attempting to figure out what they were talking about, but they were just too quiet, and far away. I had neglected to bring a book or a music player, figuring it wasn't too long a ride and I would keep entertained just by looking at the window. That, I did, but it was a little boring.
Of course I looked all around the bus at who was riding, out of my typical curiosity of people. There was an old woman with a rain bonnet on, carrying one of those patriotic striped laundry bags. She was staring straight in front of herself, out the window, probably lost in thought, as I was. There was this full-lipped young lady in a black uniform-type shirt with a logo I couldn't quite read. She styled her hair in the wet look and wore hot pink hoop earrings. A black wire from headphones was visible framing her face and I wondered what she was listening to. I couldn't hear any of it, as I was too far away.
I looked out the window as we passed a Turkish restaurant and wondered how the food would be. I didn't plan to stop there today, though. We then passed a home improvement store I had applied to work at. I had mixed feelings about the place. The lady who had interviewed me gave off a cold, impersonal, possibly unfriendly vibe. "Vibes" aren't always correct though. There was also the fact that most of their customers would be men. I was bound to ring up many attractive men, which might lead to flirting, which might lead to guilt. I was married, after all.
The bus stopped loudly. I heard a loud mumble next to me, and the hooded person flinched. The screeching must have woke them. Thick tan fingers reached to remove the black hood. It was a tired-looking man, maybe in his thirties, waking from his slumbers. Waking from his siesta, you might say. He fixed his short black hair a bit and his eyes darted around to quickly take in his surroundings. Did he miss his stop? He yawned, and blinking, widened his eyes for a bit.
"Donde estamos?" he asked me, assuming, as white as I was, that for some reason I knew how to speak Spanish.
"Pienso... Centerford." I replied, noting the name of the local fire department we had passed.
"Ahh, gracias." he replied, more calmly.
I wondered where exactly he had planned to get off, as I tried to take in the sight of him without appearing to stare at him. It must not have worked, because he turned to look me straight in the eyes as I did so. He shot me one of those polite smiles that people give, as he continued looking out at the scenery.
He had big dark eyes which reflected the light grey daylight coming in from the window next to him. His lips were full and chapped and he sucked them, to give them moisture. I think he was chewing his mustache as he did so, as it kind of needed a trim. This reminded me of my husband, and I smiled a bit.
We had reached Oakville and we were probably about half way to my destination. I still had some time to be nervous about getting off at exactly the right place. The formerly hooded man yawned and it was a low-pitched soothing kind of sound. It was getting darker outside, looking more like it would rain. The yawn proved contagious.
He glanced at me. I returned his glance, also looking down at his outfit. An unremarkable black jacket, zippered half way down, revealing maybe a white printed t-shirt. Dark wash blue jeans. Ratty black work boots. I caught him looking at mine, too. A form-fitting burgundy blouse. A plain black skirt just covering my knees. I saw a smile form for a half second at the corner of his mouth, before he resumed looking out the window.
"Por que piensas que hablo Español?" came gradually, choppily, from my English-speaking mouth. I asked why he thought I spoke Spanish, probably not perfectly.
"El papel en tus manos." the paper in your hands, he said.
I looked down at the note I had written myself; the address of the grocery store, written on the back of a small part of a Spanish "word of the day" calendar. One side said Taste of Nature, 490 Cedarcrest Hwy, Seaview, New York. The other side had part of the word "preguntar", which meant "to ask". I had forgotten that the backs of my little scrap papers at home contained hints of my interest in the Spanish language.
"Ohhh," I replied. He smiled and chuckled just a little.
"¿Donde vives?" he asked me where I lived.
"En Westford, ¿y tú?"
"Sunbrook." he replied, his accent obvious with his double "o" sound.
"¿De donde eres?" I asked where he was from.
"Ecuador. Hace dos años que vivo aqui." he replied that he'd moved from Ecuador two years ago.
"Ohhhh," I replied, not really knowing what else to say to that.
There was a silent pause between us. I saw him looking at the note in my hands, or so I thought. Maybe he was looking at my ring. I kind of hoped he wasn't.
"¿A donde vas?" he asked where I was going.
"Un supermercado, natural."
"Ohh, que bueno."
Another silent pause. A little awkward. We looked out of our window. Actually, he was looking out of the window. I was admiring the side of his face, the way his strong jaw line came into his full lips he was licking and sucking for moisture. I wanted to talk more with him, but I was nervous and was trying to translate my thoughts of what I'd say to him in Spanish.
"Puessssss.." I said nervously, barely audibly. "So...", it meant.
"¿Como te llamas?" he asked me my name.
"Lisa, ¿y tu?"
"José."
"Encantado, José." It was nice to meet him. I hoped I was using the right word.
"Igual. Mi esposa se llama Lisa, también."
He revealed that he was married. I was a little disappointed. But then again, I wasn't exactly single either, was I?
"Estas casada, Lisa?" he asked if I was married too.
"SÃ."
"Pero, eres tan joven." (But you're so young.)
"SÃ. ¿Entonces?" (Yeah, so?)
He then said something which I couldn't understand, the word "matrimonio" being involved.
"Mmm.. que?" I asked.
"Lo siento." he apologized for throwing a few too many words my way.
"Solo hablo un poquito de Español." I told him I only speak a little Spanish.
"Hablas bastante bien." he replied that I speak it well enough.
"Gracias."
There was another break in the conversation. A chance to just look around again. I noticed his finger had no ring on it and I wondered why. I remembered the times I felt sick of being engaged and didn't wear my engagement ring, though I hadn't done anything like that since we got married.
The bus stopped fairly short. I was pushed into him. I fell on his shoulder a bit. He smiled. He smelt of cologne, but so lightly as not to offend in the least. Or maybe he was freshly showered and it was his shampoo. Maybe his deodorant. One of those "fresh mountain" scents or something. I didn't know. Was he wearing cologne to see a woman other than his wife, or so he might flirt with a woman other than his wife? I didn't know and I didn't dare ask. I was in no position to judge either way.
It felt nice being close to the heat of his body. I didn't want to get up, but I knew it would look awkward if I stayed there.
He glanced down at me and a big smile formed on his gorgeous full dark lips. I was striken with his handsomeness. I just wanted to kiss him so passionately.
Our eyes locked for a good moment. What seductive eyes he had. What is it about their eyes?
He reached over with his left hand and stroked my long dark hair which he had been admiring, just once. My heart was starting to beat pretty quickly. He smiled and looked back at the window, with the trace of that smile still remaining.
The bus was nearing to Seaview, my stop. I'd rather get a view of his bedroom. In maybe another five minutes, I had to get off. I wanted to get off with him.
I took my head off of his shoulder. He shot me a glance as though I had disappointed him, and looked back out the window.
I wanted to touch him, to do something with him. I could tell he liked it. He was very responsive to touch, which I had forgotten men could be.
I put my dainty white left hand on his big dark right hand. The contrast was something else to me. I wonder if he thought the same. He shifted in his seat. I wonder if that'd meant anything physically. I glanced down at his jeans. He seemed to have caught me looking.
He withdrew his hand, only to cover mine with it, resting innocently on his upper thigh. I wondered how his flesh would look under those jeans. I had never seen a man with such dark skin nude before. He pressed my hand down firmly and guided it closer to inside of his thigh.
He leaned in close to my ear. He whispered in his sexy low voice.
"¿Te gustarÃa tocarme allÃ? (Would you like to touch me there?)
God, yes, would I.
A big smile snuck up onto my face and I looked him in the eyes, hand being lead just where he wanted it.
The bus slowed down substantially. A loud and clear announcement came on over the P.A.
"Now approaching... Seaview."
He glanced at the paper in my hand and back into my eyes. I wasn't really sure what to do. I wanted to take my little trip as planned and arrive at a certain time to be home at a certain time. If I stayed on the bus with him, who knows where I would end up and what time I would get home. My husband would worry.
I decided to leave him with a kiss on the cheek. I was excited over him, definitely, but this was the right thing to do.
I put my lips to his razor-knicked cheek for a little kiss. He wasn't about to accept that.
He turned quickly and my lips landed on his, him grabbing and holding the side of my face to make sure we had a big serious kiss.
He leaned into me and kissed me so lightly, slowly, gently. My head was spinning. I wanted his tongue inside my mouth. The way he moaned so slightly as he kissed me just drove me wild.