The Bus To Nowhere

The Bus To Nowhere
As I was sitting on a bench at the bus
station, trying to figure out where I was
going to go, I overheard a man ask the clerk
for a ticket to nowhere.
Seeming a little confused, as the man
walked by I decided to stop him and I asked,
"Sir, I was not being nosey but did I hear you
ask that lady for a ticket to nowhere?"
The man turned to me and said, "Yes, that
is where this ticket shall take me, yet I have
second thoughts of going."
I then asked the man, "Why are you having
second thoughts of going?"
He replied, "Here I am now, in a place where
everything around me is what I am used to,
know of many people, have many friends,
you know all the things that make us
comfortable in life. Once I get on this bus, all
of that will be gone. I do not know if I will
like were I end up, nor do I know if it shall be
better then here or worse."
I thanked the man for his response and
shook his hand.
As I approached the wicket, I began
questioning if this was the ticket I would
purchase. Standing in front of the lady
staring at the departure board, I felt a tap
upon my shoulder. When I turned around I
saw the gentlemen I was speaking to
moments before.
He said to me, "I have no idea where you
are planning to go, but if it is where I was
planning to go, you can have this ticket.
So I asked the man, "Why have you changed
your mind?"
He replied, "I cannot handle not knowing
where I may end up or how far I will go, so
here is where I will stay despite all that is
wrong with this place. So, if you would like
this ticket, it is yours."
The man handed me the ticket and turned
away before I could thank him.
Sitting waiting for this bus, I begin to think
of all this man had said. I then began to
question if I was ready to get on this bus
myself. What will I do? What will be there?
How bad will it be? How good will it be?
Before I knew it a man came over the loud
speaker and said, "Now boarding the bus to
nowhere. All passengers please go to gate
#1."
I got up from my seat and began the walk
down the corridor to gate #1. Halfway down
I looked over my shoulder to see how many
where coming on this bus. I saw no one.
I handed the driver my ticket and asked,
"Sir, how many are on the bus?"
He replied, "It is only you today, no others."
So I asked," Do many take this bus?"
He replied, "Many have bought tickets, but
most seem to never show. And if they do,
this is as far as they get."
A little startled, I asked, "Why do you think
that is?"
He replied, "Son, I have been driving this bus
for many years, never have I seen two days
the same, driven millions of miles, only to
have seen nothing. My guess is, many of us
are lost and the only place its seems we
must go is somewhere. So people come buy
a ticket to nowhere, thinking, hoping it will
lead them to somewhere.
Those who have gotten on I have never seen
again, yet those who haven't have been back
to this very spot, at this very gate, time and
time again. That being said, this bus is
leaving. Shall I rip this ticket? Will you be
joining me?"
I hand the man my bag and get on the bus
headed to ………somewhere!