The Holy Bible

Riding the bus this morning, happily reading my book. Totally immersed in gender bending and the AIDS crisis and selfish demanding 50-something mothers and lesbian incestuous drama (all this in the first 45 pages, I might add...). I look at the woman sitting next to me, making that peripheral glance at her book. Its the Bible! It's been a very long time since I've seen someone under the age of 75 reading the Bible in public. I was immediately uncomfortable. Did she do the peripheral glance at my book, realize she was sitting next to a heathen, and dive into the Bible for some solace? Or was she re-reading the psalms as a reminder to be a good person throughout her day? Perhaps she has a deep desire to stab her boss with a ball point pen, and this bit of Bible-reading is keeping her from committing the act? In the midst of my swirling paranoia, I noticed her offer her seat to another person, apologize for nudging someone's leg, and offer to let me into the aisle once I started packing up my bag for departure. With all the insensitivity on public transportation, this young woman with her Bible was an oddly refreshing partner. If only she knew the evil that lurked so near.