By Bud Pharo
Our school bus driver had assigned our seats together that year, mine right next to hers. We rode in polite silence for the first week, neither mustering enough courage to start a conversation.
One day, she took my hand in hers and asked how I was doing. Her touch sent a surge of electricity coursing through me. Had I been standing, I would’ve fallen. How could her compassionate gesture elicit such an overwhelming physical and emotional response?
Those heartfelt teenage conversations forged our everlasting bond of friendship and love.
Unfortunately, it only took my father’s untimely death to break the ice.
Nice book-ends. “polite silence” …. “break the ice”
Well done. Felt the story.
Beautiful, touching story.
Very moving story.
Well done! A lot of feeling packed into 101 words.
Thanks everyone for your kind words.
Sparklingly clear prose, especially in the simplicity and precision of “Had I been standing, I would’ve fallen.”