Rebloging a short story I wrote for the other blog because the other blog has a better blogging platform and community. I wrote this for the Daily Post Challenge about writing something about children being adult oriented places and I'm pretty sure I did this wrong. Woops.
I've included a pretty interesting video at the end. (Oh youtube. you're just a petri dish of conversations.)
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MIND THE GAP on the Adult School Bus
The sign that read “MIND THE GAP” displayed a picture of a
chunky stick figure trying to get out of the triangle. Why would you need to
have such pointless picture? What did GAP even have to do with this?
At lunch break today Ravi told Gail what GAP really meant.
“Get A Penis!” He boasted, while Gail stared awestruck wondering where he got the nerve to say something so crude.
But there are different meanings for GAP, reasoned Gail, as she stepped into the train. It could be the clothing store, that place dad said was too expensive. Her aunt bought her a sweater from there once, she didn’t particularly care for it but it’s expensive so she has to at least think about it.
Ravi said something else today. Ever since the start of the year it’s as if the goddess of wisdom bestowed her knowledge on him, leaving everyone else far behind on their path to adulthood. But what he said was something Gail couldn’t understand. Or maybe understand is the wrong word.
It was something she couldn’t explain quite fully.
On the train she sat adjacent two women who talked loudly so that Gail couldn’t keep up with her thoughts.
“What kind of woman brings her kid to a tanning salon! That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. And do you know what idiotic lawyer said? That she’s not addicted to tanning! Look at her face! If that’s not addicted to tanning, what is it? Liver malfunction?”
“Is she married?”
“Dear lord, I feel so bad for her husband.”
“Why would you bring a child to a tanning salon? Even Snookie or Snoopy wouldn’t do that.”
“That’s the thing though, there are just some places children shouldn’t be at!”
“You mean just about anywhere anyone wants to stay sane?”
Gail tried to block them out. What did Ravi say?
It was right after lunch at their lockers. She doesn’t usually talk to Ravi, but their lockers were right beside each other so that she had easy access to his conversations with others.
“I don’t understand why my dad needs to know, it’s not like he knows what I’m talking about or anything. I’m past that age.”
“What?” Ryan, who seemed to care less about what his friend was saying, asked. There was something about Ravi’s attitude that annoyed him.
Ravi looked at Ryan incredulously. “What do you mean what? He said I needed to start saving my money, look into the future a bit more. Bull crap. Look, if he really knew what he was talking about, why hasn’t he got any money now? Sounds like he should take his own advice.”
Ryan rolled his eyes at Ravi. It was clear he was annoyed. “Ravi shut up! Have some respect, he’s your dad for god’s sake. Obviously he knows what he’s talking about.”
“Don’t take your kids to the movies. Definitely not weddings, especially when they’ve thrown in some money in there. Not to fancy restaurants either.”
That’s it! That’s what Ravi said. She shot a look over at the two women for interrupting her thoughts, but then caught herself in time. But what did Ravi mean? What age is he past of – she thought that she knew for sure they were the same age. And saving money seems like a practical advice.
The train came to a halt and the two women stood up to leave. “Just don’t take kids anywhere where you have to throw in a bit of cash, if you know what I mean.”
Gail suddenly noticed, with some discomfort, that she was the only child on the train. Across from her sat older students, who sat near sleepy middle-aged men, who sat near a young couple, who sat near a construction worker. The train sluggered on like a tired adult school bus.
But no one seemed to mind her, though she felt like she was intruding in on something private. A private world she knew nothing of that Ravi must know about, or else he wouldn’t have said that about his dad. What about her dad? He still seemed to know everything.
As she stepped off the train she read the sign again. MIND THE GAP.
But what is this gap they’re talking about?
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Wait a minute, is that ... nutella?
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