i opened today at 5:15. got off at 9:45 and walked to my bus stop on the other side of the mall across the street. the cold winter air felt good on my hand which was doused earlier with a large amount of hot coffee. inside the mall was warming up to cater to the people who were already strolling looking through chain gates and closed doors at the employees scheduled to open their respective shops at 10. walking up the steps to the food court i was greeted with the sizzle of the taco time fry pans. stepping up to buy a taco i was informed that they didn’t open for 8 minutes. walking away deciding that i wasn’t going to give money to them anyway, i headed outside to find my bus. it was scheduled to leave at 9:57 but was nowhere in site. so i waited around for it to show up. 15 minutes later i asked the time. “i have ten after 10” the other bus driver said. so i went back to the white board that told me the original time to see when the next came. 10:57. good, now i can go get food. into the mall i went again. with my zip-lock baggy holding my cash for the day in the form of pennies, nickles, dimes, and quarters. i didn’t go to taco time. i bought a ranch burger from carl’s jr. as i stepped into line a girl, who i noticed outside, was in front of me. she turned to see who had just walked up behind her. when she did, she walked up to me and ruffled my hair and said “you have pretty hair.” i said thank you and put radiohead back on my ears. ordered my sandwich with the coins. went out and ate. five minutes before my bus arrived she showed up again and rubbed my head once more. smiled with her post-adolescent braces and said “pretty hair.” again i thanked her, then thanked God that my bus was now arriving. jumped on and paid. sitting down i was happy to be going home. on the way the heater came on. the warm bus air was not welcomed as much as the crisp outside air to my hand. i have no idea who that girl was, and am afraid to see her again.

adam.

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