Familiar Strangers

When cat looks at the world around cat, cat usually did not notice things until the lesson becomes very clear. Cat has not ride on the bus for 3 months already as cat has been going to work on car pool with friends.

Cat likes to walk around when cat has lots of things to think about. A matter of clearing the mind. Today, cat waited at the bus stop to take a bus to town. It takes 30 minuted to go to town and cat usually sits at the window, daydreaming (smile) or reading or sleeping. Lost in her own world.

As cat went on the bus, the conductor said, 'Hello there. Long time we never see you. We thought that you have moved to another area.' The driver nodded and said, 'And I told him that surely a smart young woman like you would have probably got promoted and moved to KL.' Cat was surprised that they remember cat. We had a small chat and cat went to sit at cat's usual seat by the window.

Then an old lady climbed on the bus. 'Oh, fancy seeing you here again. How are you, child? Everything ok?' Again, cat was surprised. 'Do you know Cat?', the very words that came out from cat's mouth. She nodded and told cat that cat was the 6.45am girl at the right window. Ahh..Cat smiled and talked to her for a while. Then a couple climbed on and.. the same thing happened again. They said that they were glad to see cat.

The wife said that for 3 years, no matter what the weather, they will always see cat at the same window early in the morning going to work. The girl in black was what they called cat. (smile). The person who never talked to anyone but always have a smile on her face as she climbed up the bus with her big bag. Oo..soon everyone was joining in and telling cat about how they speculated about cat's profession ..(salesgirl, student..ouch..teacher..) and why cat has vanished. One of them thought that cat had had an accident and another thought that cat was sick.

The 30 minutes journey became a short one. It made cat realized that cat has been one of the markers in the landscape of their lives. We were strangers..but with familiar faces. They have given cat a sense of belonging and place.

Think of it. While going to work, without realizing it, cat has been a part of their familiar view. All of us had shared an easy, familiar chat although we never got around to exchanging names. This is what it means..when you have been gone for a while, or when you were feeling disoriented, out of place, the sight of a familiar stranger would let you know..you are at the right place.

Signing off,
Cat