bus 32

i met a guy on the bus today. straight from work, i hopped on the bus and fell, yet again, slightly in love.

his red and green jacket matched his wool cap, and his pin striped pants dangled precariously above his ankle socks and boots. funny guy. as soon as i boarded the bus, i knew i wanted to sit next to him. not that there were many options, but his smile was inviting.

we sat in silence for about 9 seconds but ended up talking the rest of the way. it must have been at the half-way point when he dropped something about wanting to take me out to dinner.

of course, i laughed.

his response was to laugh and then raise the offer to dinner and movie.

1) i didn't know laughing was a bargaining tool.
2) i don't know how i managed to sidestep that one, but i did.

we kept talking for the rest of the bus ride, and he would bring up the possibility of a date every now and then. i finally broke and asked, "how old are you, gary?"

"63," he says after a moment to tally up everything.

when i grow up i want to be spry and full of life.

he told me that he spent today hanging out in mcdonalds. when i asked if he was there with his friends, he said no. he likes to sit there and look around/watch people.

then he asked me out for a drink and told me about a time he went to a bar and the waitress took his $5 bill for a $4 beer and didn't bring him back his change. "she tried to be sly!" he accused. "so then i took that dollar back and gave it to the other waitress."

haha i love it.

it was awkward when it was time for my stop. i shook his hand again and told him to stay young. gary kept saying that he hoped to see me again. i pushed the stop request button near the back exit, and stood there for probably less than a minute, but it seemed so long.

he kept turning and looking back to see if i was looking at him. i finally gave in and looked and we laughed at the awkwardness of this goodbye.

i take the bus everyday, but i don't think i've ever had that much fun or laughed so much. gary honestly made my day. every now and then i start to feel a little jaded and it's always energizing to find that genuine, nice people still exist. i wanted to take a picture of gary just to prove it, but lacking a camera, i promised to write it down instead.

gary said i had a great personality, and that it would get me far in life. i was embarrassed because i was thinking the same thing about him, but hadn't the nerve to say it. i wanted to tell him that i'd be his friend. we could hang out at mcdonalds together -- people watch and talk shit on the customers. we could even share fashion tips since he was so into my scarf and (admittedly) it was his festive wool cap and jacket that lured me to sit next to him.

or maybe it was his smile, the kind that lifts your cheeks up so high that your eyes disappear. it was followed by a laugh so full of soul, sight had no choice but to give in.

new year & new plans

dom has a sense of purpose to which i can only aspire. if only we were all lucky enough to know which way we're going. happy new year.

12:18:35 AM hoyadom: i have sorted out some stuff
12:18:42 AM norefundaisle: yeah? what's the update
12:19:20 AM hoyadom: my top U.S. cities (if i do stay here): 1. San Francisco 2. Denver 3. Seattle 4. DC
12:19:34 AM norefundaisle5: ohhh what do you like about seattle?
12:19:46 AM norefundaisle5: aside from that season of real world, i mean
12:19:50 AM norefundaisle5: and why is it higher than dc
12:19:55 AM hoyadoms: well, i've been watching grey's anatomy a lot
12:19:57 AM hoyadoms: and it looks pretty
12:20:13 AM norefundaisle5: no you didnt
12:20:15 AM norefundaisle5: NO YOU DIDNT
12:20:28 AM hoyadoms: also, i think i want to be surgeon
12:20:30 AM hoyadoms: just saying