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FIJI KICKED THE TINY pebbles that littered the sidewalk below her feet as she stood at the bus stop. the last time she had ridden a bus was in the third grade, standing happily with her friends awaiting the all too familiar bright yellow bus that picked them up everyday.
the bus was fun, but she had always found herself envious of the kids who's parents drove them to and from school. then one day, she convinced—more like begged—her mom to be one of those parents.
she groaned to herself as she saw the large bus plastered with advertisements come into view, replaying the conversation from last night in her head.
"i know you don't want a car, but it's time for you to be more independent," fiji's mother, suki explained over dinner at their favorite local restaurant.
fiji huffed as used her chopsticks to toy with her bulgogi. just the idea of a car annoyed fiji. she thought that the drivers in seoul were not only reckless and careless, but that gas was too expensive, and that cars were way too damaging to our environment.
suki continued to reason with her daughter, "if you think about it, that's one less car on the road if you take the bus instead of me driving you. the city bus will be good for you."
the city bus will be good for you. her mothers words repeated in her head as she quickly payed the fair and took the nearest empty seat closest to the window.
it had almost slipped her mind that the city bus took multiple stops before it reached it's destination when the slight screeching sound of the wheels caused her to get an immediate feeling of annoyance.
