My First day of University

For Lewis today was a daydream. He was breathing in this new experience of seeing more people and sights in one space than he'd seen in years. The bearded black man in the sharp suite, the very pale skin white girl with the bright red hair, the seemingly never ending identikit houses, row upon row and the roadwork's with the dusty smell drifting into the window as his bus slowed down to manoeuvre through the single line of traffic.

This was the first time he'd been able to conquer his fear of leaving his home in 10 years. At 33, he was determined to turn his enthusiasm for computers into a degree in Computer Sciences. It was more than a bus journey for Lewis; this was the first day of his new life.

Lewis sat on the inside seat next to a woman. Her large frame encroached onto his seat pressing his skinny bones nearer to the window.

"eh...eh...eh" said Lewis trying to move his perfectly formed sentence from his brain to his mouth. This was the first meaningful conversation that Lewis had with anyone outside his home for some time and his shyness saw him stumbling on his own words.

"D'ya want to get off love?" said the woman, starting to move aside to make room for his exit. Her name was Doris and she was on her way to work as a Care Centre Manager. At 60 she'd seen the world; having graduated from the same University Lewis was going to, travelling to far flung places upon graduation then working her way back home. Eventually her work and travel led her to work at Saint Edmund's Community Care Home, a job she enjoyed immensely.

Lewis looked embarrassed as he responded "n..n..n..no. I'd like directions to the University p..please"

"Oh, is this your first day then love?"

Lewis explained why he was going to University. This was the cue for Doris to air her views on a wide range of homely and worldwide issues, never stopping to take breath as she effortlessly slid between topics. As he tried to get a word in edge ways her musings merged into a jittery hum which sounded like a swarm of angry bee in his ears.

"Oh, sorry dear" said Doris suddenly stopping herself as she came back to reality, "there I go again, solving all the world's problems in a morning."

Doris informed Lewis that the Northern entrance was five extra bus stops away and provided easy access to the University. But most students preferred the Southern entrance because of the shops. Lewis elected to take the Southern entrance so that he could view what shops were on offer. He then planned to follow the other students to the University.

Lewis felt empowered by his brief encounter even though he himself acknowledged he didn't get much of a word in. He had his first meaningful conversation with someone outside his home for the first time in years, and that was good enough for him.

Approaching his stop Doris got up to enable Lewis to make his way down the stairs. The combination of her large frame contrasting with his 6 foot slow gangling, almost apologetic movement took up the gangway, blocking anyone who wanted to make an exit from behind her.

Suddenly there was the sound of an impatient and very aggressive South London voice from behind her. "Git ya fat arse out me way" Followed by a low thud as the person unceremoniously pushed Doris out of the gangway sending her crashing into the body of Lewis.

Unbeknown to Lewis, the assailant was a student of the university. His name was Brad Carmichael, the leader of a gang or as he preferred to call them a posse. Doris shouted at her assailant "Mind your manners you rude little boy!!!" as other students and passengers walked pass, some sniggering, none asking after her welfare. Lewis and Doris were like cats, as they quickly dusted each other down before he alighted from the bus. He could just make out Doris giving him a good luck wave; then the bus disappeared.