Meeting Bobo on the Metro

Plugged into my Ipod, moving my head along to the beat of Muse's "City of Delusion", smiling just because it is a Thursday and tapping my feet happily, I am off to school to start a long day.  I have closed my eyes and I am in an excited yet contented space, my own little bubble of happiness.  I let myself get carried by the music, my hips trying not to sway too noticeably because, after all, I AM in the metro, not in a club.  My shoulders have a mind of their own though, and they are slightly moving along to the insisting rhythm.  I come back down to earth for a few moments and see an older gentleman in front of me, bobbing his head along to his own music.

Wearing a black baseball cap, a dark jacket and a pair of pale jeans with a hole above his left knee, he looks up at me at the same time that I have glanced up at him.  At this point, I am smiling because we are the only two morons dancing by ourselves this early in the morning.  He grins back, points to his Ipod and gives me a thumbs up;  I giggle back, point to my own and give him the same friendly thumbs up.  We remain in our respective musical trances - his feet moving imperceptibly, his hips moving from side to side while he is twirling his slightly turned up and curled graying mustache. 

The seat in front and to the right of me becomes free and he precipitates towards it, looking at me all of the while.  At this point, I cannot help but think, why is it that I always attract old men?  Do I have an invisible sign on my forehead that reads: Old perverts, Come this way?  I think about why this might be and I begin, as I am sure most women do during these circumstances, to think of ways to let him down.  But, I am smiling nevertheless, hoping as always for the best in people. 

He begins to tell me about his life, in a non-threatening way and I listen while marveling at the silly and crazy people I might meet while letting myself be so open to this world of ours.  This morning, Bobo and I were just two strangers who randomly met because we were both enjoying our music so much;  we connected for a short while in a way that more people should be doing while living their fast-paced and dizzying lives.