Springtime Lullaby

"It's spring. Why don't you get outside instead of moping around here throwing out old photos?"

"The sunshine hurts my eyes."

"This is college. There are hot girls out there, walking around in shorts, come on!"

(He goes up to his room, then sneaks out later all alone.)

"Does this bus go downtown? Okay."

(Sitting on the bus next to someone.)

"You take the bus a lot?"

"Yes."

"I do too, when I'm going to classes. This is the first time I've gotten on just to get on. You ever done that? You ever get on just to get on?"

(Passenger thinks about it.)

"No."

"Well, I guess I am actually going downtown, but I have no reason for going there either. So I'm also going somewhere just to go too. You ever done that?"

"Yes, actually, I have."

"Really? Where?"

"I don't think it's that uncommon. When I lived in Idaho there was a hiking trail that led to a small waterfall and I used to go there just to go all the time. Why, what's wrong? Why do you feel the need to ask me, a total stranger about this?"

"I'm not sure. I feel this compulsion recently just to talk. It's like someone is recording every word I am saying. And I'm thinking about things I normally never think of."

(The man who lived in Idaho got off the bus and worried about the strange college student the rest of the day.)