On the road, on the bus, on the way to work. I have a seat, I’m sitting down, by now others are left standing.
The bus will wait here while the drivers change
Outside the day slowly brightens up.
Crowds gather at every stop. People filling in, most now heading up the stairs.
Phones, tablets, headphones. The unwritten rules: Don’t look at others, don’t talk to anyone.
Overhearing conversations on the phone: “They shut the gate on her or something”, “it wasn’t her fault”, “that’s impossible”, “you won’t like me saying this, but maybe we should get all the parents together”
Others reading, from actual printed paper.