Warning!
This is a book for the open-minded only!
If you feel that you already know all about the mysteries of our existence, your view of life is set and you would like to keep it this way, then this book is not meant for you. Don't bother reading...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect.
- Lao Tzu
"God, I can't wait until I turn eighteen and I am free to do whatever I want to." Diana sighed. She gripped the vertical pole a little tighter, because the big vehicle we were in was turning round a sharp corner right then and we were all struggling to stay upright.
Unfortunately for us, all the seats in the bus were taken. In fact, most of the standing space was occupied, as well. Which was why we were a bit unsteady on our feet, holding on desperately to whatever parts of the bus we could reach.
"Me too," Sofi agreed, as soon as she had managed to righten herself again.
"I don't know." I chimed in. "Somehow, I am happy to be fifteen. I don't want to be any younger than I am, but I am also not in a hurry to get older. Which will happen, anyway!"
My friends glanced at me quizzically. They didn't have a chance to respond, however, since the bus had just reached a stop. The doors opened with the familiar swishing sound, allowing people to get on and off. Immediately, everybody was hurrying to do just that, jostling everybody else in the process.
As we still had to cover some distance, we were delighted to spot two seats which were being vacated, amidst all the to and fro movement. The three of us fought our way through the crowd with practiced ease. When we reached our destination a few moments later, Sofi and I sat down after having made sure that Diana did not mind standing.
"Ha... tsi... tsi... tsi!"
"Bless you!" My friends chorused.
"Ha... tsi... tsi... tsi!"
"Have you ever tried staring intensely at somebody you don't know for some time?" Diana asked, completely out of the blue.
"Huh?"
"What for?" I was curious to know.
At that moment the bus swayed, forcing Diana to steady herself first, before continuing. "When you stare at someone's back for some time, they almost always turn around." She explained, eyeing some passengers in front of us.
"Really?" Sofi enquired, following Diana's gaze.
"Ha... tsi... tsi... tsi! Why don't we try it?" I suggested, a bit breathless from the sneezing. That day was a rather annoying one, regarding that particular aspect of my life.
"Okay, great. Who do we stare at?" Sofi asked excitedly, her brown eyes sparkling with obvious mischiev.
"What about the lady at the front with the curly hair, who is sitting with her back to us?"
Sofi and I nodded enthusiastically at Diana's suggestion. A minute later, we were all staring at the back of the middle-aged women, who was blissfully unaware of our devious plan.
