(this is a piece on my experience walking from the bus station to my job as a receptionist)

The bus screeched to a halt. I didn’t bother to get up right away and run to the exit. The clamor to hurry off was too dangerous, and I didn't want to get trampled. I was one of the last off.

On my way to the curb, a man yelled “hey, red coat!” and I didn’t bother to turn around to give him the satisfaction that I heard him so he could make fun of me or say something obscene. (What is it with men yelling the names of the items of clothing I’m wearing at me?) Instead, I walked casually to the intersection and though I stepped in nothing, I felt some cold liquid splash against my exposed ankle and then drip into my heels. I looked down. It didn’t appear to be anything deadly, my skin was still on, the same color. Though it could have been something vial, like urine. I hoped it was water.

At the intersection, for the first time, a man in an SUV stopped to let me cross.

I passed the same building, the same construction, and the same God-damned truck parked in the middle of the same God-damned sidewalk. I had to walk around, back into the street.

Another intersection, and the Italian man who sells hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries from his ice cream-esque truck asked me, for the third time now, “Are you hungry yet?” But this time when I said, “No thanks,” he replied with “Are you sure?”

The walk is long, but that isn’t the biggest problem. Trying to dodge traffic while crossing a four lane main road is the biggest problem. But I succeeded, as always.

I passed RISD, and wished I had applied.

I come to another difficult intersection, but I am put at ease. The cross seems treacherous. Cars are stopped around the crosswalk, and considerably not on it. However, the road has two lanes, in which cars go opposite ways, and there was a large truck that prevented me from seeing if anyone was coming from the other side. Luckily, a very short, almost midget-like, bold man stepped in front of me and walked across without looking either way. I followed close behind him, using him like a shield. I was grateful that I didn’t have to risk the danger of crossing halfway and leaning into the road to peer around the truck to make sure no cars were coming. I should have told him what a favor that was.

A man in a station looked exactly like Gunn. Ironically, he was in the road right across from the statue made of guns around which five middle-aged woman were chatting on benches. I wondered if they were married, had boyfriends, or were happy.

I passed a couple of long-necked women and I wished my neck was long.

Several older men and woman smiled at me as we walked past each other. And all the while I’ve been checking my skirt every two minutes because the zipper continually unzips and the skirt has become too big for my waist. I feel as though it will slip off as I walk.

Luckily, David spotted me from across the street. He yelled “Hey beautiful” and we walked the longest stretch of walk to the office together. We talked about the weekend, the weather, the guy that apparently was looking at me and walked into a meter. And then he talked to a police officer about the woman on the side of the road with two flat tires. And I was glad I didn’t have to walk the whole way alone.

great description, felt like I was walking with you
thanks for posting

Thankyou for a snapshot into someone else's day...