The Epiphany

A Poem by felioness

2) Work that deals with something/a topic you find controversial (if you're going to talk about something like abortion, please do not submit it unless you have personally experienc A realization

Watching him board the bus
Was painful
He climbed the rubber coated steps awkwardly
Because one of his legs was shrunken and shriveled

He was small, scrawny and dirty
I hoped he wouldn’t sit next to me
(and felt ashamed)
But he did
... he smelled awful

Tufts of snot encrusted hair spilled out of his nose

I was disgusted (but tried not to show it)
He caught me looking at him
... and smiled...

I was bathed in an amazing transformation
Periwinkle eyes as blue as a summer's day warmed me
... my smile back was pure and involuntary

Shifting my gaze I noticed his hands
Crooked and curled

Fingernails black with neglect
Revulsion scurried across my back
(on little mice feet)

Shame following in hot pursuit
Quickly I looked away

Breathing through my mouth
(as inconspicuously as possible)

People got on ... people got off
The bus rocked to a stop
The bus shuddered into traffic
Feeling light-headed and slightly sick from the motion
I cursed buses for the millionth time

A song by the "Guess Who" popped into my head

It's called "Bus Rider" and it goes something like this...

"I‘m so awful goddamn glad I‘m not in your shoes bus rider ..."

I really related to that line

After a time, an old gent boarded the bus
Grunting softly he carefully lowered himself

Onto the hard, puke green naugahyde seat in front of me ...

Through thin, snowy white hair, I could see his scalp
It was as pink as a baby’s bum
He reminded me of Bart's Simpson's grampa

With effort the old guy turned around,

Jack!" he said, looking over to the little man sitting beside me
"You still livin in that basement suite off 22nd?"
The scrawny little guy grinned back
(his teeth were hideous)

Yet despite everything his smile

Created another transformation...

Blue skies and flowers basking in the sun...

Nodding vigorously he answered “Yeath!”
In a hoarse, cracked, unused sounding voice
The old gent smiled back and said,
“Good for you Jack!”
Then turned around

The bus continued to lumber along and
After several blocks the little man rang the bell

The bus jerked and and swayed, finally stopping

With difficulty he made his way to the rear door
Painstakingly exiting the bus...

I watched him lurch down the street

The old gent in the seat ahead of me

Turned around once more, is rheumy grey eyes met mine

And he said, “Jack lived in an institution for thirty-five years

I was one of the orderlies back then
When they closed the place down he got himself his own little suite"
"He sez God answered his prayers and set him free ..."
"Maybe he’s right because back then
No one ever saw Jack smile, no siree
Not once in all those thirty-five years"

As my stop approached I rang the bell...

I stepped off the bus and walked home thinking

About that little man, about his smile and about

What that old guy said…hell, I thought,

What’s wrong a little dirt if you’re free?

© 2014 felioness

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Reviews

bob, small b. aka invs

this is a beautiful little story. i really like the ambiguous feelings about the little man. the revulsion, but not being unaware of beauty buried somewhere in there. i like the format, too. nice flow. simple language. wonderful story telling.

Posted 11 Years Ago

11 Years Ago

Thank you so much!

Olivia

This is wonderful. I love the story, and I like that you wrote it in a diary/poem format.

Posted 11 Years Ago

11 Years Ago

Hey, thanks for reading!

Eagle Cruagh

What`s wrong with a little dirt if you`re free ?
If he were a little cleaner you may have sqeezed
his hand.
'Epiphany is an appropriate title for this great poem.
The transformation, a true epiphany, from the young
and inexperienced to a wise and thoughtful adult----
all within the time of one bus ride. Beautiful story.
Thank you,
---- Eagle Cruagh