CREEPY MOMENTS IN HONOLULU

[schlomo]

Creepy Moments in Honolulu

This afternoon, as I was walking past a park near my bus stop, I was startled to see a sphinxlike animal on a towel next to a homeless person. The burly creature (presumably a live dog or a facsimile of one) didn’t move, but I sensed that it was ready to pounce on anyone who disturbed its gaze. I slowly walked away, trying not to stare at this eerie behemoth. It was an unnerving experience.

When I got to the bus stop, a scruffy, menacing young man was fidgeting on one of the benches. Without warning, he started to fitfully curse and tremble. He might have been sitting on the bench without any intention of getting on any bus at all; or he might be expecting a bus from a different route than I take. At the same time, I was worried that he might be waiting for my bus. In any case, I moved towards another bench where a middle-aged lady was calmly situated—but not for long. She suddenly started to smash her feet against the pavement. Then she whacked at her hair and midsection, as if to repel some threat, perhaps an onslaught of bugs. Whatever tormented her, I didn’t want to stay close to her. As with the troubled man on the other bench, I hoped that she would be getting on a different bus than the one I was expecting.

When Bus 2 came, I was relieved. Both people stayed put, continuing to struggle against whatever plagued them.

My adventure today surrounding the bus stop was unexpectedly harrowing as I encountered a strange beast, a most likely chronically disturbed man, and a momentarily agitated woman. I am grateful that I safely arrived home.

In retrospect, I am confident that my predominately feel-good encounters with animals and people will continue to overwhelmingly outweigh any unpleasantness (imagined or real) that awaits me.