Overheard on the Bus

The girl got on at State Street. I didn't notice her until she was seated behind me. Then she started sobbing. She was sitting next to somebody, and when he got up to get off, she told him that someone had stolen her ID at the parole office. He got off without responding. In a moment she was snuffling and sobbing again. Then she calmed herself to ask a passenger across the aisle if he had a stick of chewing gum. Her mouth was dry. He gave her some gum.

By the time we got to Watervliet a woman a few seats ahead of me recognized the girl.
"Hey, how are you doing?"
"Pretty bad. I didn't do anything, but I feel terrible."
"Where are you getting off in Troy?"
"I'm not."
"You getting off here in Watervliet?"
"No, I've got to go to Albany. That's why I'm here."

She got on the bus in Albany, and it was going to Troy.

"Do you need someplace to stay? I got my own apartment in Cohoes. It was me and my boyfriend but he's gonna be in jail a while."
"Oh, how long?"
"Well, they made him do the detox so it'll probably be around a year. So you're welcome to stay with me if you need a place to stay. I like having a friend around."
"Do you still have those Xanax for two dollars?"
"I have to get them from the woman. Call me. Make sure you call me....What was your name again?"

The bus had reached the girl's stop and she got off. As we pulled away, another passenger said, "She looking for more drugs and she messed up already."