I take the city bus home from work. Um, opposed to the school bus, I guess. I don't want to scare the children. Anyway at this point in the day, I am absolutely exhausted. I usually have a twenty minute wait between the time I get off from work and the time the bus arrives, so I'm generally one of the first on the bus. I like to choose a window seat when I get on. I don't want to be one of those uninviting people who will make someone stand instead of making sure everyone is safely seated. Back in the school days, I might have done that, but I'm 26, now, not 6, so I don't really get why people must be so needy about their space for just a few minutes.
Oh, but that's what I'm here to talk about.
So, as I said, I'm really beat after work, especially these past few days when it has been chilly and cloudy. And being on the bus for 25 minutes just reminds me of my traveling days as a child. We usually traveled by plane, but there were train trips, car trips, and maybe two bus trips. I was a good little traveler, not whiny. We often got compliments about how well my brothers and I traveled (what's that we hear? Oh, yes, me tooting my own horn). I usually just got sleepy on those long trips and relied on a shoulder of my big brother or dad to snuggle on to get me through the rides. And so the travel + the sleepy = reminders of my youth.
Well today, a man in a delightfully puffy coat came on the bus. All of the loner seats were filled, so he and his inviting coat chose to sit next to me. My exhaustion really began to set in, and this man's coat was coaxing me. I considered setting my head against the cold window, but what good is that? First of all, it's hard and cold. Secondly, think of all the oily heads that have sat upon that surface. Ew. The man's coat, however, with it's burgundy color and puffiness, slightly resembled the comforter of my bed. Just a little 25 minute snuggle with that would give me a good power nap for some energy to clean my apartment. The temptation was bordering on unbearable. I had to tell myself reasons why this was unacceptable, even if this man looked like my dad if I squinted my eyes just so.
First of all, I do realize that it is just inappropriate. Americans have their standards for personal space and just the fact that he was sitting close enough for me to tip my head and get a power nap in is uncomfortable for most Americans. I do enough inappropriate things in public to last a lifetime- dance routines down the aisles of WalMart, lift my leg while the dog pees outside, sing to my patrons at work. I need to learn where to draw the line.
Secondly, he might have mistaken my violation of his coat for a hint that, perhaps, I find him attractive. I struggle enough with why strange men think I'm interested in hearing their pick up lines. The last thing I need is to mislead this stranger simply because I decide to wrap my arms around him and push my head into his puffy, cotton-filled coat for 25 minutes. It's a simple temptation, but I don't need such consequences.
Finally, well, uh. Well, I don't have a "finally." Those just kept going through my head for 25 minutes to keep me from leaning on the stranger's puffy coat.
If I had given in, I would have found a way to blame him. Don't wear such a puffy coat and maybe I wouldn't have to use you as a body pillow, Sir.
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