Leap Day

It’s February 29, 2008. Leap day. I spent the day taking buses to various shopping establishments and looking for a new pair of jeans. Bussed it from home to one of the wealthier suburbs in the area. I am never treated well there, but I continue to go because many of their stores have a good selection of jeans. I am frugal in a lot of areas, but I like a nice pair of designer jeans from time to time (always on sale). The stores that carry these jeans have salespeople that treat me in ways varying from indifference to contempt. Today I experienced contempt. And decided to get the hell out and stop giving them my money. After I made my decision, I walked from the fancier, better-maintained section of mall to the third-world country section of the mall featuring the dollar store, the cut-rate manicure salon, and the bus stop. I started to feel better. I was with my people again. People in Payless sneakers and parkas instead of the trophy wives in skinny jeans and high-heeled boots who leave their leather jackets in their Cadillac Escalades when their car gets parked by a valet. The moment I stepped outside, my carriage pulled up. The 6U, bound for downtown. Got to downtown just in time. Eight minutes before my transfer expired, the 23H arrived to take me all the way home. Magical. Happy Leap Day to me.