The chill

I arrived at the bus stop at 7:35, and at that time of day, all the commuter buses from the suburbs are blasting through the last few stops before downtown. They all go to civic center station, so I have no preference and I got on the first one that stopped, a CX from Conifer. I am not sure whether I am supposed to board the commuter bus, but I do anyway. All the commuters in the first ten rows are sitting by their respective windows, but each individual has their lunch or purse or computer or just some junk in the second seat, to discourage someone like me from sitting down for the last 3 minutes of their morning ride. No problem, I sit with a man towards the middle of the bus. At the last stop before downtown, all the government and justice system workers get off the bus and my seatmate is one of them. I stand up to let him out and also get a chance to move closer to the front of the commuter bus where one woman has vacated her precious pair of seats. We arrive at the station downtown. I get off the bus and a door into the station is held open for me vacantly by someone ahead of me. Behind me a person skips the favor repaid so that they can quickly rush out a different bus station exit that is presumably faster than the one through this door. Presumably, they've already been having a bad day and now is not the time to try and make it better; now is the time to get in to the office and start working. I'm left with the feeling that these commuters wish to see no one and wish to simply be at their desks working, and the commute is a great inconvenience and the time is wasted and the best thing they can do while they commute is to try not to be distracted; to try not to waste time. Time and energy is better spent working and actually doing something; commuting is a waste of time. There is no time and no energy for interaction of any kind with their fellow human beings, especially if they are not on the clock. Outside the station I walk and I start to stare at people. None of them stare back or even look back. Two blocks and 30 people later, one black guy with headphones smoking a cigarette almost sees me, but probably notices me looking at him and quickly diverts his eyes. I make it to my desk at work without another person sharing a glance or a half-second enjoying this beautiful morning with me. Thank goodness that no time was wasted today. That would have been such a shame.