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10.03.2015The Man on the Bench
Setting: the main Bus
station – Salem
The part of God is played by a 50 year old developmentally
delayed man
The part of St. Anthony of Padua is played by a 19 year old
named Tesla
It was not a good day. The news had been grim and grimmer. I was nervous about leaving my school. As I
had left, I stopped to break up a fight between two teen mothers. Fights are
rare at our school. They were rolling on the ground, elbows and chins bloodied
on pavement, hair being pulled, nails leaving marks on faces. My parking lot monitor and I resorted to the
laying on of hands to stop the scratching and hugging them apart. Social media
trash talk – I hope he was worth it.
Rattled, I headed downtown to my threat assessment
meeting. Folks from all the schools meet
weekly to discuss mayhem potentials.
This is what it means to be a school administrator in 2015. But first I
needed to swing by the local bus station to pick up passes for my students
without transport.
I walked through the waiting lounge to the elevators. The
man on the bench said “Hi” I bid him a good day. I presented myself at the main
office and laid down my stuff to carefully count the stacks of passes. I ended
up with a small brick of free rides, my “Go Bag” which amounts to the keys to
half the building on campus, my ID and access cards and phone, and my own car
keys in the other hand. The $500 worth of passes always make me a little
nervous. I walked back through the
lounge. The man on the bench said “Just
take care of business.” Lunchless, I
stopped at the bus station convenience store for liquid. I juggled things to
get my debit card out. “Two dollar minimum” I was told so I grabbed at the
nearest rack and added some chips. Then I
quick-marched across the floor towards the waiting buses and beyond to my
parked car. The Man on the bench said “Don’t run – They’ll wait.”
Just past the buses I re-shuffled my stuff looking for my
car keys. I did not have them. I slapped all my pockets but no. I pictured the counter of the office
upstairs, my keys next to the bowl of Halloween candy that the women stock with
chocolate too good for the public. I reversed. Back in to the elevators. The Man on the bench
looked at me quizzically. “I left my car
keys upstairs.” He palmed his forehead
and shook his head. Upstairs – no keys;
the ladies did not have them - They were not on the floor. Now I was worried,
but not much to do except re-trace my steps – slower now, scanning the
floor. I pictured someone walking the
block with my fob, trying cars till one beeped.
Back in the lobby I headed for the store. The man on the Bench asked “What
is it with you and the keys?” The clerks
did not have an answer.
I decided to check the car. Maybe I had locked them in, and
just thought that I had them with me. The man on the bench just watched as a girl
with pink hair called my name. “Peggy, Hi! do you remember me?” She was familiar, but… “I’m Tesla! From last year.” Yes indeed,
psych student. Now with pink hair and a wee blond bairn in a stroller. I tried to stop and really see her, ask her
how she was, greet the baby, but soon I told her I was late for a meeting and
had lost my keys, and asked her to forgive my hurry. She cheerfully bid me goodbye headed for her
bus.
At least the car was there. Nicely locked up. No keys
visible. I stood there for a moment and looked up at the blue sky. I was fully
aware that my trouble was a small trouble in this world of pain, but I still
asked for help. I thought about if I should
call work, or home, or AAA. I decide to
check in with Bus station security before I called for help. I walked through
the idling carriages one more time.
Tesla and her babe were coming out the doors. “Peggy, I found your
keys! They were in the potato chips! I
gave them to the clerk and told them that I would come find you.” I hugged the teen mother and laid blessing hands upon the little blonde
head. Back through the lounge.
The Man on the bench said “Potato Chips were her downfall –
that’s a surprise!”
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