nameless girl, blonde hair up in pigtails, smokes from her perch in front of the spectrum mall walmart. a perfectly small bag sporting a "bath and body works" logo stands at attention beside the cigarette now withering away between her two long american fingers. i'll never call it "spectrum mall" i decide quietly as i slip into the music of oasis. wonderwall, might as well be talking about the retaining wall she has fashioned into her temporary throne. and suddenly all the words are applicable to this unknown girl who after one almost-casual glance my way is now busy looking for the # 60 bus due to arrive with it's cargo of consumers.
i want to know what frangrances she's purchased from B & B, and i start imagining her in an old victorian tub with bubbles up to her collarbone....one long athletic leg thrown up onto the side, waiting to be baptised in cucumber melon. smoking....letting the cigarette ash on the perfect tile floor as her hands wander....
and i've glanced her way too often. i look down bethany for the bus, intent suddenly on being the first in our little group to spot it's neon banner hovering above the holiday traffic. my body forms into a "look i'm a poor poet/musician/skater-wannabe" pose against a backlit sign and i can feel her eyes sneak into my center of gravity....or maybe i'm just being a optimist unwilling to be cured from my self-inflicted blindness.
the bus arrives. lady driver. strange. first lady driver i've had since i've lost the usage of my car. i race my underage pass through the reader and seat myself at the midpoint exitdoor, which incidentally happens to be in an almost perfect line of sight of her pigtails and lashes. i'm heading two miles down to 7th street. i've had oasis on loop and the repetition has made it "our" song. or more like, "this beautiful completely in my head moment" song. which is more romance sadly than i've had in god knows how long.
she gets off on 7th as do i from the other door....affecting a rather spontaneous and cute spin as i let that catchy british beat add a little sway to my saunter. she's walking the other way. i'm sure of it. i cross the two walkways and finally chance a peek over my shoulder. pigtails. damn. my heartrate is up. we both enter osco drug and begin to shop. i'm here for my new year's eve bubble bath supplies:
1.) standard issue tub stopper
2.) lavender bath soap (recommended by a very helpful lady who has similar nye plans)
3.) candles that smell.....nice. the aroma is quite beyond my categorization i'm afraid
4.) bottle of (damn she walked past me again) average merlot wine
5.) fancy-dancy corkscrew
and i'm done. my basket filled with all i need. i find myself behind a wheelchair who is purchasing a case of beer and a bottle of wine. i think to myself, "must be nice not to have to worry about unsteady legs" as pays for his alcohol. i realize that a line has formed behind me. a living organism of last minute supply-runners impatient for our little wheeled to be motoring off. when he does i feel her presence behind me. i turn as discreetly as i can and smile. yes. she is there. a new cashier steps up and invites her to save a few precious minutes but she declines. she will wait behind me.
at this point every fiber in my being is crying out !!! TALK TO HER YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH!! a dozen pick-up lines flitter through my head including, "hey! are you stalking me or something?" - "hey i just bought this wine and i live like 'right over there' if you don't plans...why don't come over and celebrate with me?" - or even "hi. my name's brian, not to be rude but are you coming on to me?".
alas. timidy wins this round. we both head out with our bags and she catches another bus and i get dropped off at my apartment. was she attracted to me? it's not impossible. stranger things have happened. i guess never know. unless i see her again. and make a complete ass of myself. but what the hell. she has inspired me. and for that, i owe her a bolder face the next time our paths cross. until then nameless beauty. you are the busline girl i shall imagine while luxuriating in tonight's bath.
i want to know what frangrances she's purchased from B & B, and i start imagining her in an old victorian tub with bubbles up to her collarbone....one long athletic leg thrown up onto the side, waiting to be baptised in cucumber melon. smoking....letting the cigarette ash on the perfect tile floor as her hands wander....
and i've glanced her way too often. i look down bethany for the bus, intent suddenly on being the first in our little group to spot it's neon banner hovering above the holiday traffic. my body forms into a "look i'm a poor poet/musician/skater-wannabe" pose against a backlit sign and i can feel her eyes sneak into my center of gravity....or maybe i'm just being a optimist unwilling to be cured from my self-inflicted blindness.
the bus arrives. lady driver. strange. first lady driver i've had since i've lost the usage of my car. i race my underage pass through the reader and seat myself at the midpoint exitdoor, which incidentally happens to be in an almost perfect line of sight of her pigtails and lashes. i'm heading two miles down to 7th street. i've had oasis on loop and the repetition has made it "our" song. or more like, "this beautiful completely in my head moment" song. which is more romance sadly than i've had in god knows how long.
she gets off on 7th as do i from the other door....affecting a rather spontaneous and cute spin as i let that catchy british beat add a little sway to my saunter. she's walking the other way. i'm sure of it. i cross the two walkways and finally chance a peek over my shoulder. pigtails. damn. my heartrate is up. we both enter osco drug and begin to shop. i'm here for my new year's eve bubble bath supplies:
1.) standard issue tub stopper
2.) lavender bath soap (recommended by a very helpful lady who has similar nye plans)
3.) candles that smell.....nice. the aroma is quite beyond my categorization i'm afraid
4.) bottle of (damn she walked past me again) average merlot wine
5.) fancy-dancy corkscrew
and i'm done. my basket filled with all i need. i find myself behind a wheelchair who is purchasing a case of beer and a bottle of wine. i think to myself, "must be nice not to have to worry about unsteady legs" as pays for his alcohol. i realize that a line has formed behind me. a living organism of last minute supply-runners impatient for our little wheeled to be motoring off. when he does i feel her presence behind me. i turn as discreetly as i can and smile. yes. she is there. a new cashier steps up and invites her to save a few precious minutes but she declines. she will wait behind me.
at this point every fiber in my being is crying out !!! TALK TO HER YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH!! a dozen pick-up lines flitter through my head including, "hey! are you stalking me or something?" - "hey i just bought this wine and i live like 'right over there' if you don't plans...why don't come over and celebrate with me?" - or even "hi. my name's brian, not to be rude but are you coming on to me?".
alas. timidy wins this round. we both head out with our bags and she catches another bus and i get dropped off at my apartment. was she attracted to me? it's not impossible. stranger things have happened. i guess never know. unless i see her again. and make a complete ass of myself. but what the hell. she has inspired me. and for that, i owe her a bolder face the next time our paths cross. until then nameless beauty. you are the busline girl i shall imagine while luxuriating in tonight's bath.
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
jmand2:
Happy new year.
thenewpope:
You're not around much anymore are ya? At any rate, I like what you write when you post....