at first glance

at first glance, i was a vagabond. or maybe i was homeless ... at least some kind of wandering penniless harlot. that's what you'd assume a person walking along the highway would be; one of those three. head down against the texas sun at 3 in the afternoon, squinting to look forward at the cars whizzing by; making a face easily misconstrued as hopelessness. the eyes in the cars follow you for a second, unwilling to turn their heads, so as not to look on too directly.

i was on the way to an appointment with the dermatologist. no vagabond here. in an attempt to arrive at EO Med Spa without walking too far in the afternoon sun, i pulled the bus cord too late. i saw the last rout 21 bus stop sign right before crossing over the highway, but the bus had already began its descent across the underpass, joining the car traffic and coming to a stop on the other side. half a mile too far.

i exited the doors and thanked the driver politely. trudging along the side of the concrete barrier with oncoming highway traffic a little too close on my right, i let the cars think whatever they wanted about some tall girl in a blue workshirt squinting and walking along Mopac at 3 in the afternoon.