I took the bus to work for many years.
I
took
the
bus
to
work
for
many
years
.
No one knew each other; the passengers all sat there sleepily in the morning.
No
one
knew
each
other
;
the
passengers
all
sat
there
sleepily
in
the
morning
.
The bus was cheerless and silent.
The
bus
was
cheerless
and
silent
.
One of the passengers was a small gray-haired man who took the bus to the center for senior citizens every morning.
One
of
the
passengers
was
a
small
gray-haired
man
who
took
the
bus
to
the
center
for
senior
citizens
every
morning
.
No one ever paid very much attention to him.
No
one
ever
paid
very
much
attention
to
him
.
One July morning he said good morning to the driver and smiled.
One
July
morning
he
said
good
morning
to
the
driver
and
smiled
.
The driver nodded guardedly.
The
driver
nodded
guardedly
.
The rest of us were silent.
The
rest
of
us
were
silent
.
The next day, the old man boarded with a big smile and said in a loud voice: "A very good morning to you all!"
The
next
day
,
the
old
man
boarded
with
a
big
smile
and
said
in
a
loud
voice
:
``
A
very
good
morning
to
you
all
!
''
Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured "Good Morning" in reply.
Some
of
us
looked
up
,
amazed
,
and
murmured
``
Good
Morning
''
in
reply
.
The following weeks, our friend was dressed in a nice old suit and tie.
The
following
weeks
,
our
friend
was
dressed
in
a
nice
old
suit
and
tie
.
His thin hair had been carefully combed.
His
thin
hair
had
been
carefully
combed
.
He said good morning to us every day and we gradually began to nod and talk to each other.
He
said
good
morning
to
us
every
day
and
we
gradually
began
to
nod
and
talk
to
each
other
.
One morning he even had a bunch of wild flowers in his hand.
One
morning
he
even
had
a
bunch
of
wild
flowers
in
his
hand
.
The driver turned around smiling and asked: "Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie?"
The
driver
turned
around
smiling
and
asked
:
``
Have
you
got
yourself
a
girlfriend
,
Charlie
?
''
We never got to know if his name really was "Charlie", but he nodded shyly and said yes.
We
never
got
to
know
if
his
name
really
was
``
Charlie
''
,
but
he
nodded
shyly
and
said
yes
.
The other passengers whistled and clapped at him.
The
other
passengers
whistled
and
clapped
at
him
.
Charlie waved the flowers before he sat down on his seat.
Charlie
waved
the
flowers
before
he
sat
down
on
his
seat
.
Every morning after that Charlie always brought flowers.
Every
morning
after
that
Charlie
always
brought
flowers
.
Some passengers also brought flowers for him.
Some
passengers
also
brought
flowers
for
him
.
The bus became a happy place.
The
bus
became
a
happy
place
.
Then, one morning, as autumn was closing in, Charlie wasn't waiting at his usual stop.
Then
,
one
morning
,
as
autumn
was
closing
in
,
Charlie
was
n't
waiting
at
his
usual
stop
.
When he wasn't there the next day and the day after that, we started wondering if he was sick or--hopefully - on holiday somewhere.
When
he
was
n't
there
the
next
day
and
the
day
after
that
,
we
started
wondering
if
he
was
sick
or
--
hopefully
-
on
holiday
somewhere
.
When we came nearer to the center for senior citizens, one of the passengers asked the driver to wait.
When
we
came
nearer
to
the
center
for
senior
citizens
,
one
of
the
passengers
asked
the
driver
to
wait
.
We all held our breaths when he went to the door.
We
all
held
our
breaths
when
he
went
to
the
door
.
The old gentle man was fine, but one of his close friends had died over the weekend.
The
old
gentle
man
was
fine
,
but
one
of
his
close
friends
had
died
over
the
weekend
.
How silent we were the rest of the way to work.
How
silent
we
were
the
rest
of
the
way
to
work
.
The next Monday Charlie was waiting at the stop, stooping a bit more, a little bit more gray, and without a tie.
The
next
Monday
Charlie
was
waiting
at
the
stop
,
stooping
a
bit
more
,
a
little
bit
more
gray
,
and
without
a
tie
.
Inside the bus was silent.
Inside
the
bus
was
silent
.
Even though no one had talked about it, all of us sat there silently, our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.
Even
though
no
one
had
talked
about
it
,
all
of
us
sat
there
silently
,
our
eyes
filled
with
tears
and
a
bunch
of
wild
flowers
in
our
hands
.
I took the bus to work for many years. No one knew each other; the passengers all sat there sleepily in the morning. The bus was cheerless and silent.  One of the passengers was a small gray-haired man who took the bus to the center for senior citizens every morning. No one ever paid very much attention to him.  One July morning he said good morning to the driver and smiled. The driver nodded guardedly. The rest of us were silent.  The next day, the old man boarded with a big smile and said in a loud voice: "A very good morning to you all!" Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured "Good Morning" in reply.  The following weeks, our friend was dressed in a nice old suit and tie. His thin hair had been carefully combed. He said good morning to us every day and we gradually began to nod and talk to each other.  One morning he even had a bunch of wild flowers in his hand. The driver turned around smiling and asked: "Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie?" We never got to know if his name really was "Charlie", but he nodded shyly and said yes. The other passengers whistled and clapped at him. Charlie waved the flowers before he sat down on his seat.  Every morning after that Charlie always brought flowers. Some passengers also brought flowers for him. The bus became a happy place.  Then, one morning, as autumn was closing in, Charlie wasn't waiting at his usual stop. When he wasn't there the next day and the day after that, we started wondering if he was sick or--hopefully - on holiday somewhere.  When we came nearer to the center for senior citizens, one of the passengers asked the driver to wait. We all held our breaths when he went to the door.  The old gentle man was fine, but one of his close friends had died over the weekend. How silent we were the rest of the way to work.  The next Monday Charlie was waiting at the stop, stooping a bit more, a little bit more gray, and without a tie. Inside the bus was silent. Even though no one had talked about it, all of us sat there silently, our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.