Schizophrenic Poetry

Waiting for the Bus

A woman overdressed for the hot weather hogging up the bus bench. She begins talking in a loud voice, then answers herself in a low voice. The following conversation ensues:

Loud: You welfare fraud. You food stamp cheater. Pedo. That's you.

Low: Yes, hon, whatever you say.

Loud: You can't find behind those lies anymore. I'm on to you.

Low: Sure thing, hon.

Loud: Call the police. See if I care. I know your skeleton is shaking.

Low: Of course it is, hon. 

I look at the woman because I can't believe she's doing the two voices, like a ventriloquist. 

Loud: See what you did? Now he's looking at me.

Low: Yes, he is, hon.

Loud: It doesn't matter. I'm not a skeleton.

Here she removes a pudding cup from her backpack, peels off the top, and scoops out the contents with her index finger. 

She finishes the pudding and tosses the cup and wrapper on the sidewalk. 

Low: I'll get that. (She bends to pick up the trash and deposits it in the receptacle). 

A car stops at the red light and the front passenger window is level with the woman. A husky dog appears at the open window.

Loud: I understand what you're saying. Your mask doesn't fool me.

Low: No, it doesn't, hon. 

The light turns green and the car takes off.

Loud: Run you coward. I almost had your mind in mine. Almost had you.

Low: Yes you did, hon. 

The bus approaches. I lift my grocery bag as the bus pulls up. I get on the bus, pay my fare, and grab a seat. I turn in time to see the woman get on the bus and walk right by the fare box. The bus driver says, Pay or get off.

Loud: Okay, I'll get off (and she does). 

Low: Let's go home then. (She walks in the direction the bus approached from).

On the bus, in the handicap section, there are three old people: Tired looking man with a seeing eye dog, Armenian woman with a white cane, and a younger looking man with an old face who seemed to be travelling with the tired looking man. 

Tired Looking Man: She's been like that for years. 

Armenian Woman: Since her husband died.

I then notice that both the man and woman are not sightless and are looking at each other as they talk about that Loud woman. 

Tired Looking Man: Might as well get off. 

Armenian Woman: Might as well. 

The young man signals for the next stop, grabs the dog's leash, and the four of them get off the bus through the rear door. 

I ask the driver. Those people can see?

She answers, They saw that crazy woman didn't pay her fare. 

I kept my thoughts to myself and didn't wonder about it till I was safely at home.