Happy about the Breakup

On being helped out by a complete stranger, the kindness that we should show toward each other, translated…

On the year I was twenty-three, I served my substitute army terms at the DMV in Miaoli, I’d gone back via the double-decker busses on the weekends back to my work unit, and reported to duty to the man in charge of the stations. On the double-decker, the passengers are either asleep, playing with their cell phones, or watching the shows playing on the screen on the bus, to kill the time.

I liked sitting by the windows, and, as the scenes moved past, recalled the sweeter moments I’d spent with my girlfriend, and, I couldn’t help but feel that scent of complaint, how I’d wanted to, finish up my army terms, to leave behind, the daily nitty-gritty, and be with my girl. And still, as I’m half way done with my service term, I’d found, from my best friend, that my girlfriend’s been, cheating on me, after several huge fights, we, broke up.

not my picture…

That was, the most painful time of my life for sure, I’d, dragged my huge suitcase onto the bus, and, as I sat down, I’d, closed my eyes, worked hard, to fall asleep, hoped, that I can, escape from the pains of her betrayal by sleeping temporarily. But, not long after I’d, fallen asleep, I’d, waken up, in cold sweats, from an awful dream, saw the lights twinkled on by the side of the lonely freeway, and, thought about how lonely I am, and once again, I’d, sunk, into that swamp of lost love, couldn’t get myself back out.

Once I woke up, I’d recalled the road on love I’d shared with her, I couldn’t help, but start crying. I’d felt, ashamed of my own behaviors, but I just, couldn’t, stop myself from crying, so I can only, put my head into my arms, to keep myself as quiet as possible. Then, all of a sudden, from the crack between the seats and the windows came, a pack of tissue, touching my cheeks.

I looked back, it was, an elderly woman with her hair, all white, perhaps, she’s on her way home too, she’d gestured for me to wipe my tears away with the tissue she’d handed to me, I’d smiled, and, said to her, in a nasally voice, “Thank you”. That day after I got off the bus, I stood, gazing into the darkened streets, and, strangely, I no longer, felt sad anymore, like, that hole inside my heart, had become, fulfilled by something again.

not my photo

I’d worked, until I was relieved of duty, and never bumped into that elderly woman again, but, during those bus rides, I no longer felt, any more sadness or sorrows, and what replaced that was, this surge of warmth that flowed from me to everybody else around me, and from everybody else to me too. Now, I’d still remembered what the elderly woman said to me, “Keep up, child, everything will get better!”

So, this, is the impact of an unknown stranger’s kindness on someone’s life, and, this would be, an amazing experience, to finally feel that cloud lifted up from your life, after a random act of kindness was shown to you…