humans are disgusting

Last night was cold, this morning was cold. I was dodging ice patches and hair balls on my way to catch the 8:20 bus downtown while wondering out loud why it wasn't spring yet. You might think it strange to mutter loudly into ones scarf while in public, but I find it helpful. It clears the mind, and keeps the crazies at bay.

Anyway, I am inside the bus shelter now, hiding from the cold air. Normally, I stand outside the shelter chastising traffic with my presence, but I'm just now getting over the sniffles so I decide to take a chance on the public transportation hut, this decision quickly reminds me why I often avoid these friendly looking cesspools.

So I huddle behind the plexiglass and wait. Brr. Cold. Then for some reason, I look down at my feet. I'm standing on something like a candy wrapper. It's bright green and shiny, and because I like shiny things I look a little closer to examine what "flavor" it is. It reads:

LifeStyles
Assorted Colors
Lubricated

I snicker. Am I ten years old? No, but it's still funny. I imagine it must have fallen out of someone's pocket or bag. Though its just an empty wrapper I picture someone's twinge of concern to find out they dropped it. I mean, it's random yes, to find a condom wrapper at a bus stop, but not unheard of, right? Okay, jokes over. I'm about to move my attention back outside to the street traffic but something else stops me. "Is that...nuh-uh..." To my horror, my eyes move about three feet over and there it is. Red. Twisted. Elongated. Used. Its contents in a stiff wad frozen to the concrete.

Sweet Jesus.

It didn't fall out from a bag, I now realize. It was used. There. In that bus stop. Where I was standing? Probably not. I cringe anyway and tell myself something rational,

My bus comes. I leave. I disinfect. Humans are disgusting.