This one is a super quickie ...
Losing my driving privileges was devastating to my social life and my street cred. Having to take the bus was the final straw. So, I had a small accident and maybe a spliff was involved ... Did it require a federal case to be made? My parents' overreaction was beyond cruel. I'm Neesha. I'm 19. Most likely to die of shame. I'm what you'd call one of the popular kids. I'm petite, athletic, have curly black hair, and the kinda breasts guys stare openly at in the street. My friends call me Scotty, not because it's my surname, but because apparently, I look like some adult film actress called Kristen Scott. Another reason I shouldn't be taking the bus. Kayla, Alison and Sasha refused to swing round my place, only adding to my irritation.
Taking the bus to college at the same time each day meant I slowly began to become familiar with the deadbeats who regularly shared my route. There was bag lady #1, church wife, scary wino, albino man, dotty and dan who always had a wok with them, and old man. We grew to where we could all ignore each other with a familiarity that only strangers who see each other every day can. The occasional trash that would float on and off the bus on any given day passed us by with little regard. They weren't the regulars.
My adult actress nicknamesake came back to haunt me one day. On this particular day, a young guy, maybe 25, couldn't take his eyes off me. He leered at me from the minute he walked onto the bus. He sat opposite me and made faces at me that got me really uncomfortable in a rapey way. I was conscious I didn't want to move or get off at my stop in case he'd follow me. At one stage, he slid to the side of his seat opposite me, and made look like her was ready to jump across the aisle to box me in. I became incredibly aware of my short plaid skirt, white blouse and knee-length black stockings. I looked like a fucking school kid, I realized with a pang of fear.
"Donna, dahlin." A voice from the back of the bus startled me. I looked back and saw old man waving at me with a cheery smile.
"Donna." He repeated. "I must have nodded off. Didn't see you get on. Come join me and you can walk me to the old folk's home." He winked, and tilted his head towards the freak who was still leering at me.
Without thinking, I slid out of my seat and walked down to the back, past church wife, to join old man in the back row. I was conscious of leery creep watching my ass the whole way down the bus. Old man, stood and let me slip past him to sit down with his body between me and leery creep. Church lady looked like she couldn't decide who to frown at. Me, old man or leery creep.
"You'll be safe with me. Promise." Whispered old man with a warm smile. We sat and chatted the stilted conversation of near but not quite strangers for the rest of our journey. Leery creep got bored and left the bus as some stage. When it came to my stop, I thanked old man for his kindness and concern and left.
Next, day, he waved as I got on the bus, and I joined him as before without really think about it. We became regular seatmates he and I, down the back, just past church lady. As time passed, we eventually go to know a lot about each other. He was a grandpa who'd lost his wife years before. He was rich, but had had a crash in his car and lost his driving nerve. We talked family and college courses and careers. His advice was amazing, and he had incredible contacts in the world in which I wanted to eventually find myself.
One Monday, I got on the bus, and when I saw the rear seat empty, felt my heart sink. I realized it was because I was worried something had happened to him, but also I'd grown to enjoy our conversations. And had begun to enjoy not driving. Church lady gave me a curiously worried smile as I passed, and I reciprocated. The next day, everything returned to normal, and my heart sang when I spotted old guy in his usual place.
Turned out, it had been his wife's anniversary, and he hadn't felt up to it. I put my hand on his by way of consolation and felt an electric thrill pass through my body. He must have felt something too because he jerked his hand away, apologized and then held his hand out. I took it and we held hands for the rest of the trip.