MIDNIGHT BUS

What were we thinking when we decided to take the midnight bus back home? Maybe if we were local it would have made more sense, but we were just taking our first steps in the magnificent city of San Diego. There are many ways to travel in the town like Lyft and Uber, but we decided to take the 215 bus from downtown to Northpark. Was that the right decision?

The night began as we walked through the colorful and lively Fifth Avenue searching for the musical bar called “The Shout! House.” Music was playing everywhere, and people were sitting and drinking in bars having loud conversations. It seems that people were having a good time. As you walked on the sidewalk, you could see many homeless people preparing their cardboard houses. So much dichotomy in such a small distance. Eventually, we found the place. A huge bodyguard was standing outside and asked for my I.D. I took my driver's license out of my wallet and showed it to him while I was smiling to myself: it is always nice to be flattered.

We entered and found good seats in front of the dueling pianos. People were singing along with the two pianists who were high energy. From Elton John to Lady Gaga, people could ask the pianists to play their favorite songs. All of us soon joined the sing-along, and although I did not know the lyrics, who could hear?

It was almost midnight, and we got tired. We paid the bill and headed for a bus stop. We started to run like crazy the moment we saw the bus approaching the station from a distance. We boarded the bus while breathing heavily and sat not far from the back door. The bus was very quiet. Everyone was busy with their own business. There was a nice redhead woman probably in her thirties reading a book. The bus stopped in its last station in downtown. As it was midnight, a lot of people got on the bus. Most of them probably had returned from work. A very tall man with angry face was mumbling when he came next to us. As the bus began to travel, the man looked like he would burst out at any moment. To be a stranger in a new place is not easy ― especially when you do not know the language accurately. What can I do? Should I need to be afraid? Should I offer him help? Many thoughts accompanied by fear ran through my head.

Suddenly the redheaded woman asked the man to come and sit next to her, and she did not give up until the man accepted her request. She started to talk with him, and I could not help hearing the conversation. "How are you? Had a rough day?” she asked. It did not take more than two questions for the man to open his heart. He was at a loss, frustrated by hard work that did not allow him to support his family. And there he was at the back of the bus sitting like in the psychologist's couch telling his story as if no one was there. The amazing woman put her hand on his shoulder and encouraged him. She said to him that there is always hope and he should not give up on his life. He can return and accomplish his education or find a better job. All choices are his, but he has to find his strengths because she is sure he has many of them. The man listened eagerly, and like magic, he calmed down.

We got off the bus, and the woman went down, too. I turned to her and said, "Excuse me, ma'am, can I say something?" She turned to me and agreed. I said: "Thank you. Thank you for who you are and what you did." We hugged each other and said goodnight. What a wonderful midnight bus. What a wonderful experience to end the day with.