Where Are You Going? Decide And Take Action
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 than 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!
Copyright © 2008 Dan Harris Jr.