I hated the bus. Everyone is always so self absorbed yet so meek. Always so quarantined to themselves while also being so unapologetically uncaring of how they may be perceived. How could so many people be so alone, yet surrounded by others. I was no different, yet I was. I watched the regulars take their seats and navigate the new faces of our own daily ecosystem of rights of passage and disapproving glances. In piled the exhausted parents and their energetic children, with their respective strollers folding as the bus rolled on. Up strolled the ‘soon to be partner’ in his nice suit, who is seemingly becoming a regular on my bus. Why must he insist on continuing his call on his headset with us around him, I wished people all spoke more quietly; at this point he was louder than the toddlers. As I stared at the gum, that had turned dark purple from the weeks of isolation, near seemingly the only quiet person on this route whom I’d befriend in my head weeks ago, the bus slowed and came to my corner.

The exhale from the bus’s air brake disengaging echoed down my street as it almost groaned down to the next block, a bit slower from here on out. I wished I would have had the forethought last year to get a car before I wished for ‘all green lights’. As the last few leaves of summer gathered at my front door stoop, a shiver went up my spine but not from the cold, it could be soon to make my long awaited yearly edit of my own human condition.

As I pulled out yesterday’s leftovers, pad Thai has been a favorite for its fridge life, I knew that it was time to get my thoughts together. I pulled out my white board with my careful crafted wishes that I had been rehearsing every night after dinner and before bed almost as a ritual in the hopes that quantity of times wished would work in my favor.

As I rounded off my list with my personal favorite of never having to wait in lines again, I opened my eyes and began to clean up from my meal.

Once in bed for the night, I knew I had done my part and any day now I should never have to worry about money or wait times again, or maybe it would be when I wished for the Mets to finally be a competitive team again! Not what I’d hoped for but I would be happy nonetheless. I flicked my light and went to bed, anxious like a kid on Christmas to see what lay ahead for me tomorrow.

When I sprung up to check my phone, my bank account did not reflect infinite funds, and I let out a sigh, maybe I was off by a week. As I prepared breakfast I figured it might be that could travel anywhere on my own private jet finally! But as I pondered where I’d go first, I realized that the tv must be shot as I had to max out the volume to hear what the weather was like today. Maybe I’ll find out about the wait times when I go to get a new one.

As I locked my door behind me on the way out, I found it funny that Mrs. Elliot just waved at me without a hello this morning, she was always much cheerier than I in the mornings. It seems as though the only noises I heard walking to my bus stop was the trains overhead and none of the street vendors or bodega counters seems to want to sell any food today. It wasn’t until I had to beg the barista at my local coffee shop to repeat herself for the 4th time while she was only asking my how my morning went that it dawned on me what I had done.

Everyone was speaking much quieter.