*
This is another story written as a serial over several weeks. Regretfully, I grew to dislike my heroine and we both became angry so the emotional climate of the story changes suddenly. As with the last serial I wrote, it needs a good editor to make anything of it but was written for fun so I make no apologies. It really ended the only possible way it could.
I hope that you can help me. I was waiting for the bus to take me to work this morning. It was a cold, wet day and I was sheltering under my umbrella. There was this man waiting alongside me. I've never seen him before but - WOW!! He was tall, dark and hansome and just the right age, that is to say not too old and not too young. What was a man like that doing waiting for a bus anyway?? He should have been driving some sort of sporty red convertible.
Anyway, I turned around to take a better look at him and one of the spikes of my unbrella caught itself in his ear. Was I ever embarrassed!!!!
Just then our bus came along so he just removed the umbrella from his ear and pushed me onto the bus. I guess that he believed in old-fashioned gentlemanly virtues and ladies first and all that but maybe he just wanted to get rid of me as fast as possible.
I've been thinking about him all day and wondering how I can get to know him better. He has never been at the bus stop before.
If I see him again should I apologise to him for sticking my umbrella up his ear? I feel that it was not an auspicious start to any sort of relationship. And if it is raining again tomorrow should I keep my unbrella furled and hope that I don't get too wet and make my mascara run.
Yours faithfully - Troubled Commuter
Dear Troubled Commuter
Perhaps you could offer to share your umbrella with him if it is raining tomorrow.
Scarlet
Dear Scarlet Idea
He was there again today! *swoon* He is SO GORGEOUS! He had a cute little green dinosaur band-aid on his ear. Why do you suppose that he keeps dinosaur band-aids?? Do you think that he could be married with children? The very thought breaks my heart. I looked for a wedding ring but he had his hands in his pockets so I still don't know. And of course, some men don't wear wedding rings even when they are married, do they?
It was raining again. When he saw my umbrella he moved away, so I didn't have a chance to offer to share it with him. I smiled at him, though. He said something under his breath - but I didn't catch what it was. I'd have asked him to repeat it but he had his back to me.
I just MUST get to speak to him. Should I try to sit next to him on the bus? He is so polite that he pushed me on ahead of him again so I had to sit down first. I could hardly concentrate on my work today for thinking of him and Miss Edwards, my supervisor, kept walking past my work station and looking at me in a CERTAIN WAY.
How can I get to talk to him?? I can't keep my mind on anything else for worrying about it. Please answer soon because I will get into trouble at work if I keep on like this.
Yours - Frustrated Commuter
Dear Frustrated Commuter
Perhaps you could trip on the steps of the bus next time he pushes you ahead of him.
Scarlet
Dear Scarlet I Dear
He had pink dinosaurs on his ear today. How many colours do you suppose that the dinosaur bandaids come in? It wasn't raining today so he was safe from my umbrella but still kept his distance.
The girls at work all think that I'm in love. They are all dying to know about him but I'm keeping him under wraps for the moment. I still don't know if he is married or not and I have my principles - no married men is my rule. And I don't know his name yet. How can I talk about somebody until I know his name? I suppose that I could make one up but then it would be sooooo embarrassing when I had to say that it was not actually his name. Miss Edwards, the supervisor is getting really annoyed with me.
I decided to take your very good advice about tripping onto the bus. Have you ever tried to trip onto a bus and make it look like an accident?
I dressed very carefully for the occasion. Because the rain had stopped I put some gel through my hair. Have you ever seen rained-on gelled hair? It is not a pretty sight. But the sun was shining so I gelled my hair and put on an extra layer of mascara - a girl can't be too well prepared.
When I reached the bus stop he was there already. He sort of nodded at me - that is progress - we are on nodding terms. And then he moved to the far side of the bus stop.
Anyway, when the bus came along he stood back for me to get on first so I sort of went slowly so that he was just behind me. Then I purposely missed the step and fell backwards onto him. I actually HEARD what he said this time!!!! I don't think that he was very happy. The bus driver had to get out of the bus and untangle us from the pavement. LOL - he asked if we were together!!
My dream man was limping a bit when we finally got ourselves onto the bus. I don't think that my tactics are working. But he doesn't wear a wedding ring!!!!! He had to take his hands out of his pockets to catch me.
Do you think that I should stay on the bus and see where he gets off?
Puzzled Commuter
Dear Puzzled Commuter
It might be a bit conspicuous if you stay on the bus. If he rides past your stop then he will know where you get off the bus. Maybe you should just concentrate on improving on the nodding acquaintance for the moment. Have you though of smiling at him when you see him in the morning?
Yours - Scarlet
Dear Scarlet
The dinosaurs were blue today. How many colours do you suppose there are in a packet of dinosaur bandaids?
I smiled at him when i saw him at the bus stop. He sort of smiled back but he looked as though he was going to bolt at any minute. But he was limping so I guess that he decided not to run after all. His hand was bandaged, too, so it is a good thing that I was able to see it yesterday or I'd still be wondering if he wears a ring or not.
The girls at work were all asking why I arrived with mud all over me and with my stockings torn. Miss Edwards told me that I was a disgrace and sent me out to buy myself some more stockings. I told her that I'd had a fall getting onto the bus so she gave me half an hour to go out and get the stockings. I took doughnuts back with me and we all sat around at morning coffee break and discussed strategy.
They think that I should disguise myself, catch the bus at a different stop and get off when he does. Do you think that is a good idea??? I need to find out more about him. Have you any other suggestions. I could keep smiling or even say good morning. What do you think?
Please reply soon - the weekend is coming up and I need to progress this thing.
Confused Commuter
Dear Scarlet
You didn't reply to my last letter. I guess that everybody deserves a day off but here it is, weekend, and no clues as to how to proceed. My best friend, Annie, who knows all about these sorts of things has suggested that I go along the dinosaur line, since THE MAN obviously likes them. What do you think of that idea? Is it good or are we just back to the dreary question of whether or not he is married with kids.
If he is married I think that I'll die!! The absence of a wedding ring is no real proof that he is available but I guess that it still leaves things open.
Maybe, now that it is Saturday, I'll go shopping and see what I can find along the dinosaur line. Do you think that a stuffed one would be too obvious? I could carry one at the bus stop. Maybe he doesn't REALLY like dinosaurs, though. Maybe he just has kids who like them. *sigh*
Please, PLEASE, answer this letter. I know that you probably have weekends off but maybe you have a deputy who can help me.
I'll go shopping anyway and see what I can find along the dinosaur line. A T-shirt maybe?
Yours - Desperate Commuter
Dear Scarlet
OK, OK, I know that it is Sunday and you are probably at home doing more exciting things than listening to me and my problems. I don't really expect an answer - though it would be nice!!
I went shopping for dinosaur stuff yesterday. I'm not sure that it is really a good idea but it was fun anyway. I went with my sister, Kate, and we went to the toy department looking for stuff. I bought a green blowup dinosaur. Goodness knows what i'll do with it. And a stuffed red one. It is very cuddly - I took it to bed with me last night.
Then we went looking for dinosaur T-shirts. I found a great one - big green dinosaur right across my chest. I thought that I might wear it to work tomorrow. Miss Edwards will probably have a fit!!!!!
We finished up at the museum, looking at dinosaur bones. Gee!! They sure are big. Not a bit like my little Dennis the dinosaur.
I'm still not sure that going down the dinosaur path is the right way to go, but I'll let you know how things turn out.
Yours - Hopeful Commuter
Dear Scarlet
So much to tell you. Did you get the letters I wrote over the weekend? I showed them to my best friend, Annie and my sister Kate and they gave me some advice but I'm not sure if it was good advice or not.
Anyway, I wore my dinosaur T-shirt to work today. I was the only one with a dinosaur at the bus stop - his ear seems to be healed and he wasn't wearing a band-aid on it any more. The T-shirt has a big green dragon right across the front and I couldn't get the right size for me so it was a bit tight and the dinosaur sort of moves when I do.
But it WORKED. He actually LOOKED at me!!! I smiled and he sort of grinned back. And then he moved right to the very edge of the bus shelter. But it is a start!!!!! Maybe tomorrow I'll say hello to him.
Miss Edwards tried to keep a straight face when she saw me today but she was having a hard time not laughing. Maybe she is human after all. She told me that I had to keep my jacket buttoned all the way up while I was at work. It was rather hot and uncomfortable because the building is heated but she said that the public should not have the sight of my "seething dragon" inflicted onto them. She had the animal wrong but I guess that she was right about the all-seeing public though. The guy who delivered the new stationery had his eyes out on stalks when he saw it.
I guess that it has served its purpose anyway - he actually noticed me today.
Do you think that I should take my little Dennis the dinosaur to work with me? Just to keep consistency? And should I disguise myself and see where he gets off the bus? I'd like to know where he works.
Yours - Excited Commuter
Dear Commuter
You seem to be making some progress without any help from me. Perhaps the dinosaur theme had best be dropped at this stage, unless he wears a dinosaur tie. If he does that then you will know that the band-aids were just a convenience. But they may have been all that he had to use and it may be that he really doesn't like them at all.
I'm not sure that disguising yourself and finding out where he gets off the bus is a very good idea either. You would be most embarrassed if he penetrated your disguise. Maybe you should just stick to being friendly. I think that it would be a good idea to smile at him and say goodmorning. After all, if you are going to be catching the same bus every morning it is good to be able to be on friendly terms with him.
Good luck - Scarlet