The passenger was sitting at the bus stop. He had been waiting for a long time. Sometimes he saw a bus, which usually just passed him. Sometimes the driver would wave at him, give some signals that he knew he was there, but the passenger didn’t know what to make of it.
The bus stopped only a few times. The doors opened, but when the passenger tried to get on, the driver said the bus was full. This made the passenger angry because he saw that there was no one on the bus. Once a passenger tried to protest, claiming that he didn’t see anyone on the bus. The driver got angry, closed the door, and the bus did not stop at that stop for a long time. So the next time, the passenger decided to pretend that he understood and let the bus leave without him. He hoped that someday the driver would take pity on him and let him get on.
The passenger had no idea how long he would have to wait. He didn’t know where the bus was going. He didn’t even know why he wanted to get on this bus. He was told to get on this bus and hoped that when he got there everything would be clear.
Sometimes someone left a newspaper or a book at the bus stop. The passenger looked through them. Sometimes he read. One day he came across a myth about Sisyphus that bothered him. Sisyphus seemed very much like him. When no one was looking, he carved an inscription on the wall of the bus stop: “Sisyphus! Screw this boulder and you’ll be free!”.
He was tired of waiting. He wanted to change something, so he got up from the bench and started walking. He didn’t know where he was going. He hoped it would clear itself up with time. He took up various jobs. He tried different things. But he always had the feeling that he was not doing what he was supposed to be doing. He was no longer a passenger waiting for the bus. He became a wanderer.
Every day he passed people waiting at bus stops, getting on buses and going somewhere. They were all going somewhere, chasing something, wanting to get somewhere. He envied them for it. He often thought back to his stop. It was actually the only place where he felt at home. After all, he spent a large part of his life there. Every time he passed his stop, his heart started beating faster, and a tear came to his eye.
He thought that maybe he wasn’t patient enough, which is why he failed to find out where his bus was going. He decided to try again and returned to his stop.
He was a passenger waiting for the bus again. It was a role he knew well and it was comfortable. When someone approached him and asked what he was doing here, he knew what to answer. He was waiting for the bus. He didn’t have to explain much. When the bus arrives, he will get in and go. Not only did he know who he was, but it was also obvious to the others.
This time he wasn’t impatient. He tried to make good use of the time to prepare for the journey. He bought maps. He read several guides about traveling by public transport. He practiced his grip strength to hold on over bumps. He asked for advice from more experienced passengers.
And one day it happened. The bus stopped, and the driver let him get on. He said he could go with him as long as he helped him. This surprised the passenger, but he was so excited that he quickly agreed without asking any further questions. He was no longer a passenger. He became a driver’s assistant. He thought that maybe it would be better because he would learn more this way.
They passed next stops. The driver just waved his hand at the people waiting there and passed them without stopping. He stopped occasionally, but did not pick up anyone, explaining that the bus was full.
The driver’s assistant felt sorry for these people. He asked if they could take another person. Eventually the entire bus was empty. The driver was irritated that it was too reckless because the passengers would destroy everything. He repeatedly lectured his assistant that keeping the bus in good technical condition was crucial, because if the bus breaks down, no one will reach their destination.
The suggestion to pick someone up irritated the driver. The assistant didn’t want to add fuel to the fire with more questions. He was afraid that the driver might throw him off the bus too. The safest option was to pretend that all these explanations made sense.
More days passed. The bus passed next stops. The assistant had the impression that they had already passed some of the stops before. The driver was not talkative and did not explain anything. The assistant was embarrassed to ask. After some time, however, it became obvious to him that they were driving in circles. He began to worry about this fact. He finally had the courage to ask about it. The driver told him that he didn’t know enough about riding a bus and would understand everything in due time.
Years went by. It didn’t look like the bus was going to reach any important or final stop. They changed routes. However, sooner or later, it always turned out that they were going in circles.
As tactfully as he could, he tried to ask the driver what the point of driving like this was. Over time, however, it became obvious that the driver himself had no idea where they were going or why. The assistant had the impression that the driver didn’t even want to think about it.
The sense of meaninglessness was so overwhelming that one day he simply got off the bus without saying a word. He was angry that he had wasted so much time following people who were very lost themselves.
He was no longer a helper. He walked aimlessly. He became a vagabond. He intended to see as many new places as possible. However, he often realized that he had been here before. Over time, the feeling of going around in circles intensified. He hasn’t seen anything new for a long time. He realized that he was doing exactly the same as the driver, only without the bus. He got very upset about it.
He felt he had to completely change his way of operating. He didn’t know how. He took random actions. He hoped that maybe he would stumble upon something that would point him in the right direction. He changed jobs. But again he felt he was going in circles.
He always felt he was missing something. He thought his confusion was caused by a lack of knowledge. He began to read books and attend lectures. He even enrolled in a school. But no one gave him clear answers. Although most of the people he talked to had strong opinions and were convinced that they were right, it quickly turned out that they were inconsistent or did not agree with what he saw with his own eyes. He explored new disciplines. The more he knew, the more new questions he had. The more he tried to understand, the more confused he felt. He again felt a sense of meaninglessness.
When he returned, discouraged by another lecture, he received news that the bus driver had died. He left a letter bequeathing the bus to the passenger. He wrote that he trusted that the passenger would take good care of the bus and perform his duties to the best of his ability.
The passenger felt sorry for the driver. He respected his effort, even though he couldn’t understand its meaning. He also didn’t want the bus to go to waste. This is how he became a driver himself.
He got into the bus and started the engine. He didn’t know where to go. He saw the absurdity of the whole situation. However, he decided to continue. He made the decision that he would be a better driver than his predecessor. He will give meaning to this ride. Thanks to this, his own life, but also the life of his predecessor, will also make sense.
People at bus stops waved at him to stop. But it felt stupid to take anyone, so he just waved back. He was excited. He felt like he was finally in control of his life. He just didn’t know yet what he was going to achieve.
He decided to follow another bus. He was curious where he was going. It turned out that he was also driving in circles. He decided to follow another bus. Same. After a few months, it was clear that all the buses were circulating very chaotically throughout the city, and it was impossible to understand the point of their existence.
However, the driver did not give up. He saw that many people wanted to get on his bus. They must have some reason for it. He was curious where they wanted to go. He stopped at the next stop and opened the door.
The passenger boarded. He looked a little confused. The driver asked: “Where do you want to go?”. “To the final one” the passenger replied shyly. At this point, the driver realized that the passenger himself had no idea where he wanted to go. He didn’t need someone like that. He quickly said he couldn’t take him because the bus was full. He closed the door and drove away. He tried again with several other passengers. Nobody had any idea where he was going.
The driver thought he couldn’t solve the mystery on his own and needed help. The passengers are as confused as he is, but maybe together they can figure something out. He chose the most determined passenger, the one he saw most often. He let him get on, but said he would need his help. But it was awkward for him to say exactly what he needed help with.
They drove around like that. The passenger occasionally asked questions that only irritated the driver, so most often he didn’t answer anything. He had the impression that the passenger was completely shifting the responsibility for finding the answer and knowing where they were going to him. This made him extremely angry. After some time, the passenger himself escaped.
The driver continued driving aimlessly. He no longer had hope of solving his mystery. Years passed. The driver was getting old. One day he had a stroke. He was rescued, but was told that the situation would repeat itself.
The driver didn’t want his life to turn out to be completely meaningless. He didn’t want the bus to go to waste. Taking care of it was a big part of his life. He didn’t want all that effort to be completely meaningless. However, he is no longer able to give meaning to his life. Maybe someone will be able to finish his work after he dies? He thought of his passenger. He really wanted to know where this bus was going. He was the best candidate. He decided to leave the bus to him in his will. He didn’t really have any other candidates.
As he stopped at a newsstand to buy paper, he saw a boy crying in the street. Cars passed the child, honking their horns. He was afraid someone was going to hit him. He grabbed the boy’s hand and pulled him to the bus stop. It turned out that the boy was lost. He didn’t know where he was from or how he got here. He didn’t know what to do. He asked if the driver could look after him. It wasn’t the best idea considering the driver’s health. “I can’t,” the driver replied. But he didn’t want to leave the boy alone. He told him to wait at the stop and that the right bus would soon come and take him to the right place. He didn’t know if it was true, but it was the best advice he could give.
There was a large sign at the bus stop:
Samsara Bus
The passenger was sitting at the bus stop. He had been waiting for a long time. Sometimes he saw a bus, which usually just passed him. Sometimes the driver would wave at him, give some signals that he knew he was there, but the passenger didn’t know what to make of it.
…
Go to the begining and start over …
(What would you change to interrupt the endless circle and give this story a happy end? )
