A story apart

Sometimes, life throws you into situations that are as complex as they are interesting.

The other day, I went to the dentist. This, as a starting point, is a complex thing in general, and more so in this specific instance. To begin this complexity, we have to note that there are two relevant dentists in this story. One of them is located 400 meters from my humble city dwelling, and you'd think this would be a natural place to go when going is needed. The other is some 30 kilometers away, out in the far off countryside, and for reasons of bureaucratic complexity, this is where I'm headed.

Because reasons. Most of them being related to having lived there once upon a time, but no longer doing so.

This is not the complex situation though. This is what you need to know in order to understand why I'm standing at a bus station far away from home, my head literally slackjawed from dentist druggery, the wind striking with random yet piercing coldness, the bus becoming ever later. The clock barely past eight in the morning.

As the lateness accumulated, we awaiters started to talk about what we were doing. Or, rather, were hoping to do once the bus had engorged and disgorged us - what the day entailed once we'd made it past the point of waiting.

Turns out, it was many things.

One person aimed to catch a train, going someplace far far away.

Another was just on their way to work, another ordinary nothing special day.

Another was to do some random university errand, some matter of bureaucracy.

Another was to meet someone. Or Someone, depending on how one interprets these things.

Another was on their way to a job interview. Nervousness abound.

Most were on their way someplace, and had a vested interest in getting there at the appointed and preordained bus time.

Me?

I had been where I was supposed to be that day, and could not care less whether I got back sooner or later. Time was not an issue. The bus being late, and the sudden upsurge of community spirit that followed from it, impacted me like a kick in the jaw. That is to say, not at all, due to being insensitized by drugs and city living.

Sometimes, life throws you into situations that are as complex as they are interesting.

Most of the time, they are very much not about you. But you can learn a lot by listening in. -