I stood reading. He sat ungracefully, hunched forward, elbows resting on his knees. From the corner of my eye I saw him look up and down the road before settling on me.
Man, he said, letting out a heavy sigh, I’m glad I remembered my gloves today. I’ve been forgetting these for two weeks straight, but I never realize it until I get here. He paused to consider the gloves and his outstretched fingers, turning one hand slightly. Glad I didn’t forget today. God, it’s cold. He clapped the thick blue gloves together and shifted his stare from me to the ground, elbows still resting on his knees.Yeah, I said, looking up from my book. It’s been pretty cold lately, but at least the sun's out today.
For a moment, his attention was drawn to his shoes or the ground, but he wasn't finished talking. I closed my book and looked up at the sky and then down the road for the bus. He rocked from foot to foot before looking up again.
Yeah, well, I won’t be forgetting my cap, I can tell you that, he said. My head would freeze in a second. I got my head buzzed yesterday, so if I forget my cap I’ll know right away, that’s for sure. No more hair to keep me warm. He pushed his wool cap up just enough to show a swath of freshly shaved head. See that, he said running a glove over the stubble. It's buzzed clean.
Boy, I said, you weren't kidding.
Did’cha think I was?
No, I guess not, I said, looking down the road again for the bus.
Yeah, he said, I let it grow out all year and then I get it buzzed before summer. Keeps me from sweating like a pig in the heat.
Seems like a good idea, I said.
I got it done over there at Rudy’s on Capitol Hill. They're pretty cheap and I don’t really care who does it. A buzz is a buzz, right. So, it’s not like it makes any difference.
That’s true, I said.
He looked past me and I turned as the bus pulled up.
