People You Meet

People have always made me curious. I understand that almost everyone has a veneer or mask. You may call it a front. When you look at another person, even in passing, you think you may know what they are about by how they are dressed, how they act, how they speak, what job they have, where they live, and so on. What I wanted to do was to show the person behind what you think you see. And I think I have accomplished that. When I had gotten the idea to talk to people about who they really were, I decided a great way to meet them was to ride the bus as it is a great way to meet so many different people. I began in Hollywood last summer as I traveled across the country. I rode buses in whatever towns I stopped in and I spent three months doing the same here when I got home. I met and talked to people from all walks of life as I rode those buses, walked to and from bus stops, waited at the same, and spent time at bus depots and bus stations. I think you may be surprised by whom you learn life lessons from. I often was. Also note that some of the essays are more first-person and some are more summations of a collection of conversations. This depended solely on the person I was speaking with and what made them comfortable. I have no formal training in any of the letter after your name pursuits but, as stated, I do have a natural curiosity of people and what makes them who and/or what they are. I also have empathy and compassion for those who have been knocked down. What makes them get back up will always inspire me.