An very drunk old man got on the bus today. He was dressed in a dirty army green jacket; a cigarette burn in the hood pulled over a sweaty blue baseball cap. Messy gray hair
peaked out from where his head was visible. His whole countenance was amplified by the stench of booze and vomit that hung around him like a cloud. He waved the guy that sat in front of me aside saying, "Make room for an old man!"
The man he chose to sit next to looked like he was in his late 20's - early 30's. Short, spiked, black hair and thin dark glasses plastered to his face. He moved over with a chuckle and the man dropped into the seat. He leaned over and slurred a thank you with a smile that was missing some important teeth.
Usually one would expect that the other passengers would be repulsed by this man's appearance and smell. But there is a certain nonjudgmental kinship and understanding that is shared between the people that ride the bus.
The man started a conversation with his new companion. I didn't catch all of what he was saying but I did catch his little pearls of wisdom that he passed on to the man next to him.
"You look at yourself in the mirror man, then you'll be a good person. Don't look at other people, you have to look at yourself first."
By this point the our whole section of the bus was listening to their conversation. I found myself wishing he'd picked me to sit next to. That he had chosen me to impart his wisdom which he had redoubtably acquired through a life of hardships which did not appear to be over.
He was right though. People are so ready to judge each other without a thought of what they could do to improve on themselves. I really wish I had caught what else he had said.
When we reached his stop he blessed his new friend and stumbled out the door. There were some light chuckles from the remaining passengers. The old man had left a little ray of sunshine.
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