ralph waits for the bus
the bus arrives
a nice evening
but a bit chilly
he observes to the driver
the driver agrees
there are only
two another passengers
one of them is
a woman in a gray coat
ralph smiles at her
but she does not smile back
and colonel armstong
ralph and the colonel ignore each other
ralph proceeds to the back of the bus
as the bus goes up the mountain
and stops when it reaches the top
the driver stands up and turns
and addresses the three passengers
we wil not be returning
once we start down the other side
this is final
the woman in the gray coat
and the colonel
remain expressionless
wind shakes the bus
ralph begins to laugh
in the peculiar way he has always had