strangers

Today, as I traveled to work early in the morning, I managed to snag a seat near the back of the bus, and as I turned my head towards the window I caught the reflection of a pair of dark eyes that observed me. They belonged to a thin guy, probably near my age, and the whole time I sat on that seat they were on me, staring like they wanted to look deep into my soul. Usually I catch fleeting glances at me, at my body, and most of the time I curl my upper lip in disgust and turn away to ignore the lustful looks, but this time it was different. His eyes never peeled off my face, and there wasn’t a hint of lust in them, only curiosity. I could still feel his gaze as I got off at my stop, and once the bus was on its way I managed to catch one last look from him, leaning against a window. That got me thinking about all the people you can meet on public transportation. The beautiful, that always seem out of place amidst the crowds; the bizarre, that everyone always wants to avoid; the old; the young; the ones that can blend in perfectly and the ones that stick out like sore thumbs. A dozen different realities, every single time you board a bus or one of the wagons at the subway. If you think about it, we run into an endless stream of people in a lifetime, people with unique appearances, unique personalities, and unique stories. And I can only wonder, have I ever made an impact in someone’s life, in those five or ten minutes we share the same air? Has anyone fallen in love with my eyes, hated the way I dress, wanted to be me, or even wanted me?

I cannot remember all of them, but there have been a few cases where those strangers I meet on a daily basis have stayed with me, even after I’ve left them far behind. A gorgeous, Adonis-like guy who had a gaze that could melt your heart; a chatty, lively old lady that complimented me out of the blue; a young girl that discretely undid her messy ponytail and tried to imitate the way I had done my hair; and a crazy man that smelled like he hadn’t taken a bath in a few weeks and screamed that the end of the world was coming up and down the bus until he was asked to leave. Have I ever made that sort of impact on anyone before? Is there still someone out there that remembers my eyes, the sway of my hips, my grey dress? One can only wonder, I guess. Wonder if I have ever crossed Mr. Right, passed a great business opportunity, been within an inch of being followed home, or simply inspired someone to change something about themselves. All those people, representing endless opportunities, some good and some awful, some possible and some simply out of the question; all sharing one space for a moment, and trying to pretend they are ignoring everyone else around them, when in fact your mind stops on several of them, wondering what their story is, imagining all sort of different scenarios to strike up a conversation. Seems funny, doesn’t it?