The Silent Bus Treatment

You are waiting at the bus stop. You have finished the day of classes. You’re sitting on the bench quietly yet your mind continues to race with thoughts about homework, projects, quizzes, tests, maybe even work as you leave campus. Day in and day out you notice the same people waiting like you for the same bus. The guy you have seen numerous times with his bike. The girl with the trendy haircut, bangs pulled to the opposite direction. The single mother with her baby and stroller. The guy that speaks only Spanish and dresses in the trendiest clothing. The girl with the pink backpack always on her cell phone. Do you know their names? Do you know where they are from? Do you know anything about them? Nope. Just that every day they are riding the same bus route at the same time. How could it be that someone you see almost every day is an absolute stranger to you?
The long and silent wait for the bus. The even longer silent ride on the bus. A simple smile is extremely rare and a simple nod is asking a lot. Why is everyone always in an uninviting daze or glare. Why is it that people don’t engage others while riding the bus? The same route, the same people, the same results. Books are open, head phones on, cell phones out but you are hard press to find a healthy conversation anywhere.
I am interested to know why this is the case. Please post your reasons and justifications to why you feel we do this?

-Cody Sprecken