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At the Bus Stop: The Astronomer

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Stargazer or Space Cadet? Meet ‘The Astronomer’ Who Forgot the Bus Stop’s Not an Observatory!

The Astronomer

As I, Vincent Roderick, navigated the twilight streets in my metal chariot of chaos—a bus, some call it—I stumbled upon a curious specimen. A creature so consumed by the vast abyss above that he forgot the ground beneath his feet. I call him The Astronomer.

There he stood, amongst the mundane mortals, yet clearly not of them. With his face tilted skyward, mouth agape, eyes locked onto some distant cosmic mystery, he was less a man and more a misplaced stargazer. A spacer, you might say. Unbothered by the passing of time or the arrival of his ride, he stared into the void as if he could bend the heavens to his will.

I’ve seen all manner of humanity at these stops—zombies glued to their screens, corporate drones lost in thought—but The Astronomer was different. There was something almost endearing about his detachment, as if he was an alien observer sent to study us, only to become hopelessly mesmerized by the glittering jewels of the night sky.

I couldn't help but smirk as I imagined the conversations he might have had with the stars. Perhaps he was waiting for his intergalactic Uber, or maybe, just maybe, he was planning a great escape from this spinning rock.

In a world where everyone is always looking down, it’s almost refreshing to see someone who dares to look up—albeit with the distinct possibility of swallowing a fly.

The bus came, the doors opened, but The Astronomer... remained. Lost in the cosmic ballet, he missed the mundane dance of the 9-to-5 grind. And who could blame him? For a moment, even I, Vincent Roderick, felt a pang of envy. But then the engine roared, and the moment passed.

The bus pulled away, leaving The Astronomer in his celestial reverie. Some might say he missed the bus. I say he found something far more interesting.


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___ Vincent Roderick

Bus Driver on Route 101

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