Glimpses and glances

Its the sudden fatigue that he notices first- there was no sign of it as he was flying down the hill but as he looks to traverse this 500m incline, he begins to slow down half-way. He slows down and starts walking after a while- he keeps telling himself that he just wants a glimpse. Its been so long since he visited, there was a time when he would go at least once a week. He walks by the rows of seedy stores and reaches a row of apartments and wonders if he is lost and just as he is thinking that, he sees it. The expanding blue fogged up in the distance. He involuntarily breaks into a smile. He can walk quicker now. He finds a spot next to a rock on the beach and looks at the surfers on their boards in the water riding the waves and wonders about why we want to conquer everything we come across- waves, the space, the people. He digs in the sand distracted only to find a 20cent coin. His fingers twirl the coin as he walks absent-mindedly away from the water.

The boy steps into the bus- he is about 5 foot 4 inches. His face is pockmarked with pimples that are typical of his age. A virgin moustache completes his adolescent look. The middle-aged couple sitting in front of the bus stare at his skull-cap. Its an appraising stare that seems to indicate their disapproval with his expression of faith. The boy looks around casually at the back of the bus only to drag his eyes towards the middle where four teenage girls sit. There is a casual locking of glances with one of the girls and he looks back in the front. Suddenly his phone rings and the ring-tone sounds like a group of protesters- the girls break out in giggles and he stiffens up knowing he has their attention. The couple stare at the scene with a bemused expression imagining their good-old days.