Jekyll and Hyde

After class on Tuesday, I knew I needed some stimulation to get me home. I headed for Scoops Ice Cream.
I was second in line. The kid ahead of me looked just as excited about the ice cream as I felt. Ice cream is a great equalizer – it makes us all children again.
He was getting a waffle cone, which gave me an idea. I had a buy one get one free discount on my starving student card for Scoops. Five minutes later, he was eating free ice cream.
As we left the shop, he stopped in the doorway to thank me. “Thanks dawg.” He looked right into my eyes. “I had a hard day. You don’t even know.”
I was taken aback by his sincerity, but pleased. “Hey, no problem bro,” I said. “Have a good one.”
Ten minutes later, I was at the bus stop with my bike, and my goodwill had run out. It was hot, and the sugar from the ice cream was wearing off. I was grouchy.

 

Another cyclist arrived at the scene, and she stood next to me. When the bus came, the two-bike rack was already carrying a bike. There was room for only one more.

 

As the pedestrians started to load, the girl and I awkwardly waited, until she broke the silence. “Where are you headed?”

“South Provo,” I said. I live on 700 North. “South Provo” was an exaggeration, but I wanted on that bus.

“Oh, you’re going further than I am,” she said. “You take the spot. I’ll just ride home.” She smiled, but I could tell it was half-hearted. She hoped I would refuse her offer.

I put my bike on the rack and boarded.

 

Later, I wondered what would happen if those two people met. Would they talk about their day? He would be bound to mention that someone changed his day for the better. She would probably say that there aren’t any gentlemen in the world today, and that she wished I’d drop dead.

 

I bet they’d be surprised to realize they’d be talking about the same person.