There was only one seat on the bus next to a girl dressed all in black, and she was sitting on the outside edge, staring intently into her book, not moving, so i couldn't sit down. I glared at her forehead until she shifted her knees to one side. i had to squeeze past into the pokey corner seat. I hated her intensely for half a minute and then saw the book she was reading was written in chinese and though perhaps she didn't know what i wanted and didn't have enough language to ask.
She got off and another lady sat down. i tried very hard to be accommodating. I wanted her to feel welcome to share this blue seat with me. As she sat made I little shifting movements to one side. I fussed over moving the arm of my jacket of the seat for her, so she could sit comfortably and didn't have to feel crowded.
she said thank you without making eye contact.
i said no worries without making eye contact.
the trip went well from there i think. we shared the seat from just before Newtown to just after Chippendale.
Just before Chippendale I streched a little and she moved and i said
oh sorry did i draw on you?
because i had a highlighter in my hand when i did my stretch.
and she said
no, its just these seats, they are so uncomfortable.
after that i didn't care so much about her. It was clear she had made her mind up not to like the seat, and i was not going to try any harder than i already had to make her feel at home.
she got off just after chippendale.
as she was standing in the isle, i pulled my bag up off the floor and put it on the seat next to me.
Just to show her that i wouldn't be making that kind of effort again.
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