The Bus Ride - a tragicomedy.

I just got back home from the airport after seeing a couple of friends off. And i want to scream because i'm so frustrated.

I took the BIAL bus. Waited, first of all, for half an hour inside the roomy eight-wheeler for the driver to decide that he had enough passengers. And then, had a cute boy get into the bus. And choose to sit opposite me.

We checked each other out covertly. I bought a ticket up to CBI Road, and i have no idea where he was headed.

Another middle-aged business traveller got into the bus and sat next to me. My mind half-switches off, while the other half of it focused on checking out cute boy in the reflection of the bus window. Yummy hands, nice bone structure and the smile. Oh, the smile.

The bus started, the radio played. Weird songs came on air and i hummed the ones i knew, out of habit. Then some crap play comes on and i'm dying because i didn't know what to do with myself. He was checking me out in the reflection from time to time, trying to catch my eye, and i was doing the same. At one point, our eyes meet momentarily and there was...something. His leg was inches away from mine and i could feel the 'i-think-i'm-interested-in-you' kinda heat between us. I knew he was dying to talk, but he said nothing.

Finally, the business traveller got off the bus. I knew my stop was nearing. I contemplated getting off at Majestic Bus Stand, and then discarded the idea because it was just silly. (I've figured out now that such silliness, if it doesn't harm anybody, must immediately be put into action.) I continued looking out of the window, and he continued keeping quiet.

Then, finally, he opened his mouth:
"Majestic last stop hai kya?", and i say, "Haan, shayad." And then he says, "Krishnagiri ke liye wahan se buses mil jayengi?", and i say, "Pata nahi." In my head, i'm thinking, really, is that the best you can do?

Seconds later, the driver yelled, "CBI Road!"

F*** my life.

I got up. I bumped his leg, and mumbled a sorry. I walked to the front of the bus, asked the conductor if he would stop a little further away, trying to buy time. The conductor replied, "No no, get down here, it's easier for you."

And i got down.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! DammitdammitdammitdammitdammitDAMMIT!

Now, i can't get the incident out of my head. I can't, because this spark was the very rare kind, as rare as a real message about a lottery win. I'm wishing he had opened his mouth earlier, or that i'd stayed for a couple of stops more.

It's true you know, that modern-day saying: Jab naseeb ho gandu, to kya karega pandu?

It's also true, what A says: there's just something about me and this universal phenomenon called "Timing". It's always wrong for me.