43
Talk of Arizona
Fall 2014
Tom Gibons
Penultimate page
Sympathy for a super hero
The bus stopped. The passengers got out. One guy absented-mindedly walked right in front of my car as I was about turn onto the street.
My first reaction was annoyance. Then I felt a little sorry for him.
He was dressed in some sort of super-hero get-up, but he didn’t look real super. He was a short, dumpy guy, and he was walking with his head down, shoulders slumped.
It wasn’t the weekend of Comic Con, but he must have been at some sort of gathering. My guess is that riding the bus home dressed in tights and a cape had been unpleasant.
He came to the realization that he was walking right in front of a car. He looked up. I think he expected a glare — or worse.
I didn’t glare. I smiled and gave him a thumbs’ up.
He smiled back and straightened his posture and held his head up.
I felt like I had made his day.
And his reaction made mine.