TNT ... Chicago 17
1 His text had clearly said that he would be picking her up after class but now that he was no longer answering his phone, she decided to give him another five minutes before taking the first bus to get to the second bus that would get her home where she could lock herself in her apartment and do her best to forget the horrible grade she had gotten on her test that day. 2 If only she didn't have to work two jobs to afford nursing school, then maybe she would have had the quality time to study instead of her usual routine of trying to keep her eyes open on the public transportation to review just enough of her notes from class to avoid failing.
3 Settling for just getting by. 4 *That* was what her life had become. 5 Just a little bit longer. 6 Just a little bit more. 7 Just a little bit of disappointment to get through. 8 Then she'd be on the other side of her goals, with a new job making the big bucks in the fancy hospital in the good part of town. 9 Just a little bit.
10 Sharlene had the skills to cope -- but what she wanted more than anything at that moment was to feel sorry for herself. 11 She wanted to take the gift of having an evening off from everything to cocoon in her bed, streaming some bad tv featuring folks who had it much worse than she did, and crying herself to sleep assuming she didn't doze off from exhaustion midway through the program first.
12 She couldn't wait any longer. 13 He was supposed to be working his other job that evening, so she surmised that he picked up a fare and had to change his plans at the last minute. 14 "He was stuck in traffic somewhere -- somewhere with a weak cell signal like Lower Wacker" is what she convinced herself. 15 The bus was the sure thing, and she wanted a sure thing when it came to getting home that evening as quickly as possible -- so she started walking a few blocks toward the bench for the next bus stop.
16 Deep in her thoughts as she was, she was only paying half attention to the fact that the bus was practically there, waiting at the red light just before the dedicated bench. 17 What snapped her out of her pity party was the car that sped from the middle lane when the light turned green and cut across to park in the place reserved for the bus. 18 Through the honking of the horns, she spotted her Angel, waving frantically at her to get in the car.
19 "Did you give up on me?" he yelled good-naturedly, as she jumped into the passenger seat. 20 The look she gave him in reply confirmed that she had.
21 "I figured something came up. 22 I just want to get home and end today." 23 She didn't offer any details to explain her wish ... but she did offer an explanation for her next move. 24 "You're lucky a cop didn't see you pull that stunt in front of the bus," she said angrily as she punched him in the arm for added emphasis.
25 "I waited a bit at our usual spot in front of the building but there was NO one there, so I figured your class had let out already. 26 Then when the bus went past ..." 27 He didn't need to tell the rest of the story. 28 Sharlene could fill in the blanks.
29 "Yeah -- well -- you're driving more and more like a maniac since you took that job. 30 I think you're spending too much time in the damn car!"
31 That was probably not the best time for Angel to suddenly pull a u-turn. 32 But he did it anyway.
33 "Where are you gooooing? 34 I wanna go hooooome!" Sharlene whined.
35 "One quick stop," he responded. 36 "I promise ... just one ..."
37 There was nothing else for her to do. 38 She turned toward the window and pouted. 39 "This day can't get any worse," she muttered, mostly to herself, but just loud enough that Angel could hear.
3 Settling for just getting by. 4 *That* was what her life had become. 5 Just a little bit longer. 6 Just a little bit more. 7 Just a little bit of disappointment to get through. 8 Then she'd be on the other side of her goals, with a new job making the big bucks in the fancy hospital in the good part of town. 9 Just a little bit.
10 Sharlene had the skills to cope -- but what she wanted more than anything at that moment was to feel sorry for herself. 11 She wanted to take the gift of having an evening off from everything to cocoon in her bed, streaming some bad tv featuring folks who had it much worse than she did, and crying herself to sleep assuming she didn't doze off from exhaustion midway through the program first.
12 She couldn't wait any longer. 13 He was supposed to be working his other job that evening, so she surmised that he picked up a fare and had to change his plans at the last minute. 14 "He was stuck in traffic somewhere -- somewhere with a weak cell signal like Lower Wacker" is what she convinced herself. 15 The bus was the sure thing, and she wanted a sure thing when it came to getting home that evening as quickly as possible -- so she started walking a few blocks toward the bench for the next bus stop.
16 Deep in her thoughts as she was, she was only paying half attention to the fact that the bus was practically there, waiting at the red light just before the dedicated bench. 17 What snapped her out of her pity party was the car that sped from the middle lane when the light turned green and cut across to park in the place reserved for the bus. 18 Through the honking of the horns, she spotted her Angel, waving frantically at her to get in the car.
19 "Did you give up on me?" he yelled good-naturedly, as she jumped into the passenger seat. 20 The look she gave him in reply confirmed that she had.
21 "I figured something came up. 22 I just want to get home and end today." 23 She didn't offer any details to explain her wish ... but she did offer an explanation for her next move. 24 "You're lucky a cop didn't see you pull that stunt in front of the bus," she said angrily as she punched him in the arm for added emphasis.
25 "I waited a bit at our usual spot in front of the building but there was NO one there, so I figured your class had let out already. 26 Then when the bus went past ..." 27 He didn't need to tell the rest of the story. 28 Sharlene could fill in the blanks.
29 "Yeah -- well -- you're driving more and more like a maniac since you took that job. 30 I think you're spending too much time in the damn car!"
31 That was probably not the best time for Angel to suddenly pull a u-turn. 32 But he did it anyway.
33 "Where are you gooooing? 34 I wanna go hooooome!" Sharlene whined.
35 "One quick stop," he responded. 36 "I promise ... just one ..."
37 There was nothing else for her to do. 38 She turned toward the window and pouted. 39 "This day can't get any worse," she muttered, mostly to herself, but just loud enough that Angel could hear.
