Karma

People often say tomorrow never comes, but what if today never arrived? What if tomorrow is just today but elongated? These were the kind of thoughts that hurried around my mind while I laid my head to rest on the dirt-brown pillow provided by the bus seat I decided would be my home for the next few hours. If time even exists.

I had taken many bus rides throughout my journey, too many to count. I remembered some vividly, others however not so much. The rotation of bus drivers were the same people just with different faces and identities. The only constant was the bright marigold flower that protruded from either their blouse or shirt pocket. I'd had polite drivers, frustrated drivers, drivers that would take too many smoke breaks and silent drivers. I had wondered what an odd business request to have all of your drivers wear the same flower on them.

I never had a final destination in mind, sometimes I thought the wind would sweep me up and nobody would realize I was gone. My family, my friends. Always rotating, almost as a physical depiction of the earth but closer to me and more personal. I glanced at my reflection in the window and caught notice of my tired brown eyes and tanned skin. I seemed to have spent so much time observing outside as of late that I managed to get the true essence of my Greek heritage to show through my olive skin.

I looked down at my black leather bag, my tattered and worn down pleated skirt, my hands neatly rested in my lap. I was also observing on buses. Whether it be out the window, a heated argument happening a few seats away or inside my own mind whenever my headphones died and I was no longer distracted by sound. I opened my bag and found an ID card.

Marissa Petras ; Twenty-seven years old ; Cambridge, London.

Interesting character for my previous ride, I thought to myself. I placed the ID back in my bag and giggled as I gazed out the window. On all of my rides the only thing that I could rely on was change, or a flower. I would try and foretell which way the bus was going to go, which particular street it might miss or if it would stop without me halting it. After all, I was giving most of my power away to the bus driver majority of the time.

It was getting late now and I thought it would be best for me to start my next adventure so I decided to halt my own journey and pressed the large red stop button placed conveniently above my head. I went to grab my things but realized I had no need for them anymore so I hesitated but left everything as it was on the seat.

I was met this time with a lovely elderly man for my bus ride depart. He had a soft demeanor, glassy blue eyes and a warm smile that made you feel like whatever was ahead, everything was going to be just fine. I peered down at his shirt pocket and noticed the bright flower that once was, had vanished or maybe he had dropped it somehow.

Maybe even the flowers were not as constant as I'd previously thought.

I thanked him for my trip and made my way to walk down the three small steps out of the door.

"Hey, lady!" He was shouting but at the same time sounded calmer than I had ever felt on any of my bus rides.

I turned, anxious that he would accuse me of littering by leaving my previous self along with my belongings behind like an abandoned child.

"Good idea leaving your baggage here rather than taking it with you on your next ride, I've heard that one's going to be interesting enough."

He winked.

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