Bananarama

Recently my class went on a trip bowling.It was a cold friday evening and we all departed our separate ways.Country living has it's advantages and it's downfalls.Advantage is that I get to wake up and see the mountains everyday and I can escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.Downfall is that buses home are very irregular and I always have to get them by myself.

Anyway,that evening I waited for the bus.When I was a kid, bowling was a casual thing.Trackies and hoody kinda job.I had been told otherwise however.Friday night bowling was a more 'formal' affair.So I waited at the bus stop,short dress and no jacket.I shivered so much that the older men beside me offered me their coats.I politely declined the offer,cold as I was I do my best not to converse with strangers on cold,dark nights.I waited there.It must have been half an hour(the buses I get home don't have electronic signs that tell you when they're coming).My legs were like jelly at this stage but eventually the bus arrived!

I casually hopped on,swiping my ticket as I passed the machine.The bus was quiet,I could see only two other people.I ambled down the aisle,didn't want to risk falling up the stairs.The bus was shaky,if I had been a driving instructor I would have questioned the clutch control.As I got closer to the back of the bus I noticed a banana skin on the ground.For those of you who don't know,I HATE banana's more than anything....even more than custard creams.In a normal situation I would have avoided it,walked around it or pretended not to see it.Not this evening!I decided I would be a good citizen,save somebody else from slipping.We've all been there!I kneeled down slowly and reached my arm out.My handbag was so full it pulled me closer to the floor.Got it!Mission complete!!I rose from the floor,banana skin in hand.I tried to fool myself,tell myself it wasn't really a banana skin.I continued to stand up and the bus began to jolt.I could feel myself losing my balance.There was nowhere to fall.I looked directly across from me.Sat there was a young man,oblivious to my existence.His music pumped through his headphones.He sat upright and barely moved except for breathing.His eyes were focused straight ahead.He hadn't noticed me get on.

That soon changed.The bus continued to jolt.I could see red lights shining in the darkness of the road.I could feel my legs begining to cave beneath me.Within seconds I was sprawled out across his lap.I felt his body jump.I still had the banana skin in my hand but it was resting on his bag.He said nothing and I was too scared to look up.I could hear his music through his headphones.Two door cinema club resounded,something good can work?In this situation I really doubted it.I had to pull myself together.Act cool.

I stood up,pulled down my skirt,flipped my fringe back into place,nodded and continued to the back of the bus.I sat down with a thud and  planted the banana skin on the seat beside me.I watched as the young man left,he turned and gave me a nod.A nod of sympathy I think.No doubt he was concerned for my welfare,I could fall into anyone's lap and they might not be so forgiving.I soon got off the bus and thanked the bus driver who passed no remark.It was from that day on that I decided my previous judgement on both bananas and buses had been right.They are best avoided.