huff. huff.
the boy was running, panting.
his pants flapping in the winds, his calves aching and sore.
the cool breeze that swept upon the sweating forehead.
throwing back the hair.
the moon, beautifully crescent, seductively overhead,
stars that hung in the air.
nothing seemed to matter.
a vision blurred down on the pavement,
myopic, like a pipe,
fixed upon the tin roof shelter
glancing quickly at the watch,
"Dec 30, 23:58"
and yet,
something seemed amiss,
something that wasnt right.
it couldnt be..
but alas, in that distance,
squinting, the purple box was there.
its light, dimmed; its noise, whirring; its smell, suffocating
how could it be..
as he ran on, he knew, it would be gone.
watching from afar, far from the tin roof,
it gave its last chug, its wheels carrying it on its last voyage.
reaching the shelter, still panting,
little beads, gently, subtly, rolling down the cheeks.
the plastic trapezium was ever inviting.
weakened and feeble, he fell into it.
he sat there staring, waiting.
waiting for the purple box that would never come.
chances aplenty, chances missed.
he never flagged the little blue ones, pretty with their lighted cherry.
never failing to glance down the dirt road.
tired, drained, fatigue kicking in.
adversity triumphed.
eyelids drooping, heads nodding.
yet never once stopping that periodic glance.
the next time he woke up,
it was to that familar chug, that heartwarming light and the pungent exhaust.
a purple box!
swaying the arm, still quite hazily,
he left.
his hopes tightly clenched in one hand, feelings in another,
his legs carrying him a step closer to dream,
his mind, never forgetting,
his heart, beating, undying,
his soul, never giving in.
we know we can believe in time to bend around us.
if we never lose sight of it.
gazing surreally at the watch again,
"Dec 31, 00:18"
a dream?
his head now upwards and tilted at the poster behind the driver
LAST BUS
DEC 31
23:59
Labels: expression, memory
