Eighteen Inches

I arrived home (Seattle) yesterday. It was an odd journey given all the new and oddly applied rules in airtravel. I couldn't take tooth paste, but I could easy board with my deodorant, hard drive, computer, electric tooth brush with who knows what could have been packed inside. Oh...I also managed to make it through TSA with a knife attached to my wine opener (don't ask why I was carrying it...because I have no idea).

The most curious part of my travels was upon landing at SeaTac, I took the bus home. I often enjoy taking Metro (the bus) from the airport to my lovely home by the lake. The characters, sounds, smells are not always pleasant...but commonly provide humor and interest for the day and often the week that follows. So I play the scene:

A rather gregarious bus driver greets me as I board with my luggage; he is genuine in his wishes of good days for all those departing. I locate a seat just past those reserved for handicap (those that line the aisle) and sit a row back. A the very next stop a bulky black man with several non-descript tattoos in his 40's wearing a baseball cap places his bike on the front of the bus, boards the bus...greeting the driver like they were bruthers from the hood...then he sits in the first seat at the front of the bus facing the aisle. The conversation when something like this...

MAN: "brother, I tell ya...I've been traveling some distance...it must have been something near...gosh..10 miles."

DRIVER: "I hear ya. That will tire you out."

MAN: "oh yes, it works me."

DRIVER: "gives you a great heart."

MAN: "oh yeah...I've got a great heart man, it two ways brother, two ways."

DRIVER: "well its crazy out there. you've got to be careful. I'm a big bus and people think I can stop on a dime."

MAN: "I can stop on a dime."

DRIVER: "well statistics say that the more you ride..."

MAN: "don't you be spewing that nonsense. I'm not superstitious."

DRIVER: "I'm not superstitious either, but statistics say and chances are.."

MAN: "don't even say that! we create our own destiny bruther. There are only 18" from the head to the heart and once you think it here (pointing to his head) AND you make it happen here (pointing to his heart), its all YOU.

Its about this time...I realized these guys were speaking two different languages. One from his head, the other from his heart. I realized the INTENTION from where the MAN was speaking and it rocked my soul. I felt my eyes begin to water, my face lifted from the stress and tension. Just then, the man looked down the aisle and to the very seat I was sitting. His eyes reached into my soul...asking me IF I were living with INTENTION. He got up from his seat, having reached his destination and he said to me from the front of the bus..."you have the most beautiful eyes. take care sweetheart."