Love at the Bus Terminal

When they thought they would die alone, fate had other plans

The Electronics plant hummed with activity. Wave solder machines spewed a never ending line of circuit boards. The boards were then inspected by workers then sent down the conveyer belt.

Ted grabbed a board and stuck it in a plastic bag and sealed it with a heat sealer. He then placed the board in a box and shoved the full box down the belt. He picked up an empty box and started the process over again.

“ Almost quitting time.” Ted thought as he sent the box down the line. He was a third of the way done filling the last box when the bell rang. He swept the floor around his work station and went to punch out.

“ I wonder if she will be on the bus today.” He thought as he stood at the bus stop with his co-workers who couldn’t afford cars. “ She never sits near me. I should get up the nerve to change seats, but she might think I’m a stalker.”

His mind was on the pretty redheaded waitress as he got in line to get on the bus. He fed his fare into the machine and took the transfer and sat down as close to the front of the bus as he could.

***************************************************************

The cockroach knew nothing about love or loneliness. It only cared about food and shelter and mating. It had wondered through the bus all day.

It nibbled as it roamed but the noise of the engine and the chatter of the passengers made it nervous. It sought out a place to hide.

***************************************************************

Ted watched and held his breath. He tried to calm his raving thoughts. As the redhead in her fast food restaurant uniform got on the bus and headed up the aisle.

“ Oh my God. She’s beautiful.” Ted thought as his palms started to sweat as he caught his breath. They made eye contact as she walked past him. Ray smiled. The redhead smiled back and stopped and sat across the aisle.

“ Turn and talk to her.” Ted thought frantically as the redhead gave him sideways looks and tapped her feet. “ Here goes nothing.” he thought as he turned and smiled.

Before he could say “ Hi.” A woman in the back of the bus screamed.

******************************************************************

The roach found a place to hide. It was dark and quiet. He had crawled up the woman’s leg and worked its way into her jeans and found its way into her panties.

It was dark and quiet as it foraged for something to eat.

The young couple sat in the back of the bus with their arms around each other. They were talking about what they were going to watch on T.V. When the woman stood up and screamed. As she clawed at her jeans.

“ Oh my God. its crawling all over me.” She screamed as her boyfriend yelled trying to see what was wrong. She unfastened her jeans. But collapsed and curled into a fetal position on the seat. As the bus driver parked the bus and ran back to see if she could help.

“ Are you pregnant? The driver asked. As the woman sobbed and groaned on the seat.

“ No I’m not pregnant.” She gasped. “ Something is crawling inside me.” The bus driver headed back to her seat and called 911 and her supervisor.

*************************************************************

Ted and the redhead watched with the other passengers. As the paramedics came and checked out the hyperventilating woman.

“ What’s wrong with her?” Ted asked out loud without realizing he spoke.

“ I don’t know. She looks scared more than anything.” The redhead answered with a relieved smile. “At least we have some excitement on this bus for a change.”

“ Oh yeah.” Ted answered. “ Working an assembly line is boring as Hell. I’m going back to school next semester though. So at least I have a way out.”

“ I’m Ted. What’s your name?” The question seemed to come out on its on accord.

“ I’m Rachel.” The waitress answered with a smile as she ran her hand through her hair. And then over her uniform to straighten any wrinkles.

They ended up standing next to each other. As they watched one of the paramedics pull down the woman’s panties. Far enough for the now dead cockroach to fall out.

Ted and Rachel stifled laughs. As the sobbing woman was taken off the bus on the stretcher with her worried boyfriend close behind. They sat down together and talked as the bus driver finished her route.

“ I can’t let her get away.” Ted thought as he took a deep breath. “ Hey Rachel. Can we exchange cell phone numbers? I would like to get to know you better.”

Ted held his breath as he fought the urge to throw up. “ Please, please, please.” He begged silently.

“ Call me around nine tonight if you can.” Rachel said as she gave him her number. “ My mom has Alzheimer’s. My brothers and I will get her in bed and I will have time to talk.”

They chatted until the bus came to her stop. Ted stood up to let her get off the bus. “ Remember after nine o’clock.” She said with a smile as Ted smiled back.

That night they made plans to meet at the Mall to walk around and eat and go to a movie. They talked for an hour before they finally decided to get some sleep.

That weekend at the mall they didn’t have the first date jitters. They had the best time.

They married a few months later. Ted earned a Degree in Computer Information Systems. Rachel decided she would go to Nursing school.

They lived a long and happy life together. They would laugh about how they met. And every year for their anniversary they would drink a toast to the cockroach.