The singing bus driver
It’s all over the news
the bus driver in Ottawa
who sang to his passengers for years
until a few complained.
I expect him to feel defeated
at least frustrated
but he is as chipper in his silence
as he was in song.
Busloads of commuters defend him anyway
hand out song sheets
belting out ballads
in solidarity
not for his right to sing
but for their privilege of witnessing
such joy.
There are even t-shirts
let him sing
selling like hotcakes.
But none of this is what made me cry.
It was the woman whose husband used to sing to her
gone so long now
she rode the bus driver’s route
once a week
a complete loop
not going anywhere
except back in time
her eyes closed
listening to the bus driver croon away
remembering her husband’s voice
breath so warm you can’t believe one day it will stop
he was never able to look right in her eyes
sang to her hands
such an old-fashioned way
of loving her.
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4 comments / Add Yours
i hadnt heard about this, I will have to buy a shirt…….what a wonderful retelling!
ReplyBeth
Dec 2, 2011
Such beauty in these words….thank you.
ReplyDeb
Dec 2, 2011
I used to sing in a rambunctious yet fully qualified hootenanny before the War of Seven Lilies — of course by any other name a frog can multiply, given sufficient reason and paper. But the folks danced in a wet-suit of ill-feeling until the robins went sideways. Rest assured, I stopped oogling for a hair’s breath or less, but that won’t stop me from push-ups and what not, or, as my ol’ ma used to say, ‘Stand up! There’s a kitchen howling in every bread basket!” Ha. He sings, you write, and I’ll shepherd the instincts left of Atlanta, and the world will surely be a a better banana!
God love ya, Miss Lily! The best I’ve ever known!
Merle Duffy
ReplyThree Bridges, West Virginny
Pete
Dec 4, 2011
“remembering her husband’s voice
breath so warm you can’t believe one day it will stop”
beautiful.
ReplyBCattS
Dec 6, 2011