A narrative essay (one that wastes your time as well as mine).

To catch a runaway bus today, I RAN TO THE NEXT BUS-STOP... THE RED MAN TURNED GREEN, SO I hurried along, schoolbag, plastic bag, and all... THE GREEN MAN BLINKED BEFORE MY EYES as I got to the road junction. CARS turned in THIS WAY AND THAT - IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE, IT SEEMED. I HESITATED AS the RED MAN came on the SCENE. WHEN ALL WAS HOPELESS, IT JUST SEEMS AS IF I WOULD MISS THE BUS...

I VIOLATED the traffic regulations and JAY-WALKED ACROSS, fleeing like a bird. It was a wonderful feeling, and I felt IN CONTROL OF MY DESTINY for a MOMENT... HOWEVER, AT the same time I FELT a chill down my spine. I thought about seeing GHOST CARS WITH THEIR GHOST DRIVERS blowing down on the WIND AND NOISES, the BLARING HORNS CRUSHING DOWN on my eardrums relentlessly.

Many cars have come to pass as I took my last steps off the tarred road. What I have left is the noise behind, and THIS etched in my memory...

"DO NOT JAYWALK."

(To be continued...)


**Editor's note: I am considering these two fictional paragraphs that just add humor - spoil the atmosphere, I mean - in the story...**

* * *
My head screamed "GET OFF!"... but all I could do was to remain where I was. There. Right there in the middle of the road, trapped in time and... in control of my own destiny... I am the matador facing the charging bull... I am the matador facing the charging bull... Great. This must be how they feel. Heroes for all that bravura... Hey dude, where's my cape?

With a devilish grin, I held up my green plastic bag - imprinted on it "Four Leaves"... (full of bread for breakfast) and awaited a certain death. The crowd surged in excitement... The pedestrains and drivers swiveled their heads to look...

* * *

I continued running on the pavement towards the bus stop. It was still there waiting for me. Then there was this accursed metal chain strung between two posts making accessibility difficult for me. I considered. I tried to clear the hurdle with one... leap...

I flew! I was such a comical sight, I would have laughed my head off if I saw myself! The ground came close as I fell forward. Thoughts ran through my head - you know, like "oh no, I fell down."

I found myself on all fours. Dazed, I picked up the bag containing bread. Thankfully, the food was still inside. I was not bleeding, but my hands were red from the fall. I scrambled to my feet and ran to the bus-stop... In the end, I caught it - the driver opened up the door again, for me. I sat in the back of the bus to catch my breath and checked for injuries from the fall...

I could not clear the chain because my schoolbag weighed down on me! I should have walked around the obstacle... With hindsight, what I did was undoubtedly foolish... But from another point of view, if I did not try - how could I have known if I succeeded? Dreaded metal chain! Why did they have to install them there?