Contentment

Contentment



I look down at my watch for the second time as I sit at the bus stop and stand up to warm myself.  The bus is a couple minutes late.  No matter, I’m really in no hurry.  

I need to warm up a tiny, so I start pacing behind the blue painted bench while exhaling some warm air into my gloved hands.  I remember doing that as a kid,I think with a smile as I make more of the mist my breath creates in the cold air.  Thinking about the things my sisters and I did every winter in the country, I continue my pacing, grinning every now and then at my memories.  

It’s still early in the day, and the sidewalks are just beginning to fill with people on their way to their destination.  Laughter twinkles to my left and I turn my head to see a group of ladies entering the café at the end of the road. Never been to that café…maybe I should try it some day…

One more look at my watch, and I decide that I might enjoy a short walk instead of waiting for this bus.  So, with a careful pivot, I take off down the street at a pace that clearly shows just how much ice covers the sidewalks.  Pulling my warm beanie further down on my head, I look up in time to see a group of birds swing past in a hurry for warm shelter.  With a soft smile, I look back down and turn the corner down the street.  I can hear the bus arriving behind me now, but that’s okay.  I enjoy walking anyway.  Besides, I don’t have far to go before I get to another bus stop.

More people out now, and I’m about to pass a man with a young child holding his hand.  Grinning big at the antics of the child, I look back to where I’m walking before I slip.  Just another block, and I’ll get to that next stop.

Light snow starts to fall when I arrive at the next stop.  This bus should get me there quicker, I think; I won’t have to transfer with this one.  The sound of the bus coming from down the street announces that this one is on time.  

The bus stops with a squeal at the designated sign and opens its doors with a hiss of hydraulics for the small group convened at the small enclosure around the bench.  I smile at an elderly woman as I step aside to let her on the warm vehicle first.  Fishing out my change, I board the bus next.  When it’s my turn, I deposit my change in the pay terminal on the bus then turn to find my seat on the mostly empty bus.  I choose a window seat as I usually would so that I can watch the snow falling.  As I sit there, I begin to warm up to the point of sleepiness.  I don’t want to fall asleep and miss my stop, so I take off my beanie and shake my hair loose.  I’ll put it back on when I get there.

The bus takes little time to go the distance that delivers me to my desired street.  When the stop approaches, I pull the cord and ready myself to get out in the cold again.  Pulling the black beanie back over my hair, I stand and head forward with a steadying hand on the bars of the bus.  With a wave of thanks to the driver, I step off and make my way toward the building across the street from my stop.  Again careful not to slip, I pull out my keys and step up to the door.  Just as I find the necessary key, the door opens revealing the occupant of the building, and a smile spreads across my face, to which I receive a smile back.  I stomp the caked snow and sludge from my shoes so that I don’t track it, then take a step to cross the threshold.  With my rosy face warming up to the new atmosphere inside, I look up at the person accepting me into the building and my smile grows wider.

“Hi Mom.”