oblivion watching

oblivion watching

in this dull gray world
oblivion staring past
waiting to discover the light of day.

it was sort of rough, the texture was not smooth
on your skin. she sat there daily waiting on her
bus to arrive. it was a short wait, she was
always on time. her workplace wasn't
far from there either.

the bench was a tarnished green, more rusty-brown
than anything. the back was bent slightly on the
right side, and had caved inward. the seat,
although metal, had become dented and discolored.
parts were shiny, though the majority was rough and
obviously had been there for much longer
than it should have.

she had only lived in this area for two years, but
every single day she came to this bus stop, a man
was waiting on the bench to meet her. she had
seen him since the first time she went to the stop,
and ever since he's been there. they have never
exchanged words, and she had never seen his face.
nevertheless, she knew him. he wore the same
tattered coat there, every single day, and sat
with his head hung low. his soul looked tired.

she also noted that once she had stepped onto
the bus, the man would stand up and watch it
as it drove off, propped on his cane. he watched
intently, as if it were going to suddenly rocket
off like a space ship or somesuch. once it had
gotten a decent distance away, he would always
turn and walk off.

despite his almost stalker-like nature,
the woman was never alarmed nor did she feel
in any danger when she was in his presence.

it was cloudier than usual.
as she approached the bench on this particular day,
she noticed the man was standing in front of it,
facing the street, propped on his cane.
she arrived and seated herself, watching him
warily, as this was not his usual behaviour.

a moment later, the man sat. and when he did,
he uttered these words.

"I know you."

the woman was startled, but quickly regained
her composure and replied.

"I believe I know you, too, sir."

and then it began.

"I do not know your name, but I can feel you.
no one else feels this way."

confused, she stared for a moment. he continued.

"I know that you are different from the others.
You are very special. You may not know it,
but you are. I know that you are."

the man had a raspy voice. it was sort of wavery,
and unsure of itself. he was older.

the woman did not really take him seriously,
but just decided to play along to
pass the time.

she thought for a moment, and replied.

"How do you know this, if you know nothing
else about me? You have only seen me
here at this bus stop. You know very little
about my actual life."

he paused, hanging his head. he knew
that she wouldn't listen to him, but
said it anyway.

"you make the world shine."

she tensed for a moment, and there was a
long drought in their conversation.

during this whole time the man never looked at her,
his gazed focused straight ahead or at the ground.

the woman eventually passed it off as just the
crazy ramblings of an old man who didn't really
know what he was saying. she was polite,
and sincere, but did not take him seriously.

the bus arrived, and the man raised his head
as the woman got up and walked forward. the
bench was no longer on fire.

as she stepped onto the bus, it burst into brilliant
flames. they roared with intense
ferocity. light began to pour out of the bus,
cascading like water onto the street and dissipating
like fog. the windows shone bright as the sun.

as the doors closed behind her, the light
was sealed inside, and all was silent.

the bus began to move. as it did, the man stood
and watched, propped on his cane. the woman
glanced around to see him, but he was not there.

in this dull gray world
oblivion staring past
waiting to discover the light of day.