A wise Latino at the bus stop

It’d been an uneventful flight for Jenny, except for some pretty bad bumps when they passed Denver. Something about the Rockies, the loud-mouthed, red-faced schlump from Larchmont who sat next to her said, laughing in a guttural, wheezy way. Jenny hated turbulence, almost as much as she hated this overweight, self-satisfied, over-indulged suburbanite who’d sat next to her.

After collecting her luggage from the Delta baggage claim, she walked across the street to the bus stop. She’d take BART to get to Portola Hill. Sure, she knew she could take the train. But Jenny didn’t want to hurry. She needed a little more time to organize her thoughts.

When she’d sent Celia the e-mail, asking if she could come for a visit, Celia had replied – yes, my dear, please come, I’ll help you get through this. She wondered if Celia really meant it, or if she’d just use the opportunity bitch at her for leaving her without a word, six years ago. You broke my heart, Jenny remembered the e-mail saying – leaving without a word. But Jenny had nowhere else to turn.

A man stood at the bus stop – a handsome man, Jenny couldn’t tell whether he was Latino, Southeast Asian, Filipino, or Mexican. He had that kind look of a man who’d been ignored all his life – and had learned never to look anyone in the eye. He didn’t look at Jenny. He waited like anyone else would wait at the bus stop, minding his own business. Face it, you’re a man, the wall advertisement said – how appropriate, Jenny thought. This guy looked like a man to Jenny – unlike Bill, who’d turned out to be a schlump.

There’s that word again, Jenny thought. Just like the Larchmont man on the plane – yes, Bill had been a schlump. Six years married, and he’d never done anything for her. Except cheat on her. She’d given up her life in San Francisco, alienated the only woman who’d ever loved her, and he’d turned around and cheated on her with Dina. Jenny wanted to spit.

The bus came, and Jenny boarded it along with the man. She had a lot of explaining to do. She hoped Celia would listen.