"The Old Woman on the Bus"

College ended one period early, and my heart was full of joy. My friend and I started walking home. "I hope that English teacher doesn't show up tomorrow either..." I joked. My friend laughed out loud.

Walking in a hurry, I accidentally bumped into a girl from Trinity College. My friend yelled, "Hey man! Watch where you're going!" But I thought to myself, Wow, she’s so lucky to bump into me! She must have prayed hard in her past life for this moment.

After a while, my friend reached his house and we said goodbye. I took long strides and reached Ratnapark to catch a bus to Kirtipur. The conductor was shouting for passengers, calling it a "Super Express" bus. I stepped inside I don't look like Katappa, but walking in with style made me feel like Bahubali! 

I sat down on a seat. Just then, an old mother entered the bus asking for some money. The bus was waiting to fill up before moving. She had a funny voice, and everyone on the bus started laughing. I laughed too.

But then I took a closer look at her - her torn clothes, her long fingernails, and her frail body. My laughter turned into pity. When she came near me, I took out 20 rupees from my pocket and gave it to her. She stepped off the bus with a sweet smile as we started moving.

I realized her smile was fake; her heart was crying inside. Questions filled my mind. She must have had big dreams once. In her old age, she probably wanted to sit happily with her children and grandchildren. What happened to her? Did her family throw her out, or was it cruel fate? Why is life so unfair some people enjoy luxury while others starve? It felt like she had given up on life and was living just to feed herself.

Usually, the trip from Ratnapark to Kirtipur feels very long, but that day flew by. The bus slowed down near my stop, and I quietly got off, gave 10 rupees for the fare, and walked toward my room...