Kismet: Reflections in light and dark (or) salt, smoke and the silence of the deep

So I am waiting at the greyhound station to board my bus and this young woman approaches me and asks me if I accidentally left a book outside. Since I had brought several along I knew it was a possibility. I said "perhaps" and reached into my pack to check as she said "Siddhartha?" I am thinking "oh crap, I almost left my book" as I pull my paperback copy out at the exact same time as she pulls out a rather well used hardbound copy of the same book.

We talked a politely for a little bit and I thought, "This is really odd that she would have found a copy of the same book I am reading and then asked me about it" and "she's going to want to sit on the bus next to me". After I boarded. she did come and ask if she could sit next to me. Of course I said that would be fine. You see, normally I end up getting stuck sitting next to the fat sweaty guy. As far as I am concerned this is a bonus since I always prefer sitting with an attractive young woman (she had stunning blue eyes, a light dusting of freckles and a killer smile) over the fat sweaty guy, and even more so if she is intelligent.

Later on the bus, she turned to me and asked if she could see my copy. She (Jill) was curious why the publisher would put Thai art on the cover of a book that takes place in India. I told her it was a painting of Siddhartha cutting his hair and asked her how she knew it was Thai artwork. She said that she was just back from Thailand and then she corrected herself saying she had spent the last 6 months in Juno Alaska driving a bus and the year and a half before that in Phuket Thailand teaching English.

We spent the entire rest of the trip talking about philosophy, meditation, Hemingway, food, travel, language, religion, American holidays, her desire to shop for clothes and pretty much everything else under the sun. Before we disembarked she gave me her copy of the book she had been reading called "Prodigal Summer". Needless to say, she was by far the best single serving friend I have sat next to in a long time. I just hope the ride back is as enjoyable.

As she made my heart race a little, I would have liked to have given her my number or email but, Kismet or not I thought that I should just take it as enjoyable conversation that helped to pass the time. Thank you Ms. Smith.

I missed the ferry, by the way. On another note, beer on the ferry is six bucks. ouch. they also wont let you take it out of the galley area.

After a quick beer,
I stand alone in the darkness
and feel the crisp air cutting
not unpleasantly, into my skin.
Silently I watch the lights
reflecting in the darkness of the water.

Breathing deep,
I taste the evening
tinted with brine
and the occasional drifting smoke
of some distant fire
Not unpleasantly, I realize
"I live for moments like this".
In the west
I find the Great Bear
and think of Zeus and Kallisto.

Stars above.
Darkness surrounds.
Reflected light.
As above so below.