I climb the stairs
As doors close with a hiss behind
Thousands of eyes watching
Walking down death row
Calmly
I sit down in a chair
Images rush past me
People walking away forever
Never aware of me watching
Silently
I put my hand against glass
Cold and warm from other days
Everything rocks back and worth
People whisper, cry, laugh
Quietly
I look down beside me
A little girl sits there
Lollipop to big for her small mouth
She licks relentlessly at it
Noisily
I hear everything at that moment
Two rows up a baby howls, hungry
Three rows back a man coughs, dying
Across the isle a man and woman fight
Angrily
I see everything at that moment
Five rows back a woman with a black eye
Four rows ahead a man without an arm
Across and seven rows back a blind man sighs
Sadly
I sigh too and stare at my hands
“My mom says it is rude to stare at people”
The little girl looks up at me questioning
“Why do you stare at them” she asks
Curiously
I speak to this girl so much younger than me
“Because there is so much to see” I reply
“I see nothing” she whines
“Look very closely and you see everything”
“Everyone tells a story, but your mother is right”
Simply
I listen to her as I do everyone
“Well what’s your story?”
“A long and sad one” I reply
I don’t see it” she says
Confused
“I see your story” I say grinning
“You like lollipops”
She stares blankly at her lollipop and says “No”
“My mom gave it to me before she died”
Silence bustling
People get up and leave the bus
She stands alone and waves to me
Still sucking “Goodbye” she says
I just sit there wondering
Calmly