He’s a regular at my neighborhood bus stop, he looks to be in late 20’s, has sandy brown hair and is disabled. He walks with a labored gait, one leg dragging slightly and his speech is impaired.
This morning the bus was early, leaving the two of us waiting together for some time before the next bus arrived.
We exchanged general pleasantries about the weather and then, in his halting speech, he asked me where I was going.
I let him know that I was on my way to work. In an attempt to fill time, I went on to tell him that I take this bus and then the train to my job every day. I grumble about having to make that connection. Then I shared that I felt my job was a bit of drag and complained about having to sit behind a desk all day.
Then I asked where he was off to this morning.
As he began to talk I found myself listening carefully to him, it was hard for me to understand everything he said. He spoke slowly, due to his disability but also, perhaps, because he has grown accustomed to people like me who fail to understand him.
As he spoke his smile broadened and I make out the phrase, “over the river and through the woods”.
His eyes were twinkling and his smile so broad that I could not help but smile too.“Over the river and through the woods” I repeat, questioning what I heard.
“Yes” he responded quickly.
“To grandmother’s house I go” I state,d almost instinctively, remembering the childhood rhyme.
At nearly the same time he said, “But not to grandmother’s house”.
We laughed together.
He explained, again slowly so that I could follow, that he was on his way to work in a suburb outside of the city and that he’ll travel over the Willamette River and through wooded suburban neighborhoods to arrive at work.
It’s over an hour commute. And he has to change bus lines more than once.
He went on to tell me that he liked his work at a fast food restaurant because everyone, his co-workers and customers alike, are nice people. Plus, he shared, his work keeps him busy.
Our bus arrived and we both boarded, me feeling rather small after complaining and him smiling as he started his journey over the river and through the woods.
I Love the Bus 