Bus Stop

He stood at the stop alone in the rain, waiting for the bus to arrive. It was ten minutes behind schedule, according to his watch. His hands were freezing. He shoved them down into the pockets of his long trench coat, shivering a little. His brown hair was getting damper by the second. He brushed away a random lock of it from his eyes.

“Hey.”

He looked to his left. Someone new had appeared beside him, beckoning for his attention. He slowly turned his head.

“Got a light?”

Yeah. Here.”

He ruffled through a pocket on the inside of his coat and threw the newcomer a lighter. The new one caught it gracefully and pulled a packet from his similar coat, sticking a cigarette in his mouth and lighting it.

“Thanks.”

He tossed the lighter back.

“What’s your name?” he asked casually, taking a drag.

“Neil. Yours?”

“Ernest. You can call me Ernie, though.”

Ernie stuck out his gloved hand, expecting Neil to return the handshake. He stared at the hand wrapped in the black leather glove, keeping his own hands inside his pockets. After a moment, Ernie took the hint. “How did you know that I was a smoker?” Neil asked.

“You just had that air about you, really. I guess all smokers do.”

“Well I wish that ‘air’ would go away. I quit a couple weeks ago.”

Neil looked at his watch again. The bus was now fifteen minutes late. He quietly sighed, looking over at Ernie, who was leaning back and forth on his heels and toes.

Ernie wasn’t much of a looker. He had blonde hair, dark eyes, and a long neck. He wore a business suit underneath his auburn trench coat. Like himself, he was soaked.

“You quit?” Ernie asked, squinting. Some rain had just gotten in his eyes.

“Yeah. I used the patch.”

“Those things actually work?

”Yeah.”

“Hmm…”

Ernie resumed balancing from heel to toe. Neil checked his watch again. The bus was seventeen minutes late. He was getting antsy.

“Where are you headed?”

Neil could tell that Ernie had moved closer. He could almost feel his breath on his neck. It was unnerving. “The…the uh…home. I’m going home.”

“Why are you in such a rush to go home?”

“I just am.”

“…Alright. Where do you live?”

“Huh?”

The question was sudden and unexpected. “Why do you need to know that?”

“Just curious. You’re on the Boulevard, right?”

“Y-yes! What are you, some kind of stalker?”

“Nah.”

The next bit of silence was awkward. Neil opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted.

“Happy birthday, by the way.”

“Okay, that’s it. You’re really starting to creep me out. Who are you?”

Ernie chuckled, taking another drag from his cigarette. “I thought you’d know that. But I guess not.”

“I guess not,” Neil replied sarcastically. “Who are you?”

“Don’t you remember? University of Eldwitch?”
”…Yeah…?”

“The guy who slept in the dorm with you?”

Neil was dumbfounded for a minute, and then gasped. “Ernie? That Ernie? Oh my God, I’m so sorry! I didn’t recognize you!”

“Apparently not,” he replied with a grin. “Come on, let’s go for a drink. You’re turning thirty-five, after all.”

“I’d like that.”

They walked away from the stop side by side, reminiscing about University memories. The bus pulled in, twenty minutes too late.