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Firstly, because this is Seattle, you’ll need your rain boots and a rain coat, equipped with an oversized hood. You’ll need to wear a cozy sweater underneath it to protect yourself from the whipping wind and the chilly April temperatures. Then, you’ll need to buy a Starbucks coffee for your trudge to the bus stop. However, be sure to not buy the coffee too soon, or it will be cold before you have the chance to drink it. You must wait until three blocks before your stop, and you must buy it quickly in case the bus is running early. Next, you’ll need some power music to blast into your ears and keep you on the dreary track to the bus stop. You’ll also need a stash of tissues in your backpack, to wipe away the smears of your ruined makeup once you get settled on the bus. You will need an extra tissue for your frozen, runny nose, and maybe one for your bleary eyes.
You must take the most direct route to your stop, avoiding as many pedestrians as possible. You must not let the rain blowing in your face bother you and you must not turn back. Walk right through the puddles along the way, but avoid the slimy mud; you will only become entangled and be slowed down. You must not miss your bus. You mustn’t take an umbrella with you, as it may be pulled backwards by the relentless wind. You must keep your head down and walk forward, keeping your eyes on the sidewalk in front of you to avoid any hazardous unruly roots or dips in the sidewalk. You’ll need stamina to continue speed walking. Ignore the sharp cramp stabbing you at the side of your ribcage; the rain soaked sidewalk is no place to worry about such things. You must run across the crosswalks in the final flashes of the red hand to assure that you don’t miss the bus. You must abandon all cares for your hair or physical appearance; otherwise you don’t have a chance. You must murmur curse words to yourself to release steam about your present situation.
Finally, you must arrive at the bus stop, out of breath and sweating, and squeeze underneath the covered area. You must check the bus schedule, and see that in fact you have three minutes to spare. You mustn’t make small talk with the other waiting passengers out of courtesy for the solitude of the morning. You must take a breath and a sip of your now lukewarm coffee. You must watch the bus approach, and step back from the curb so as to not be splashed by it. You must wait your turn and board the bus after the others, greeting the bus driver as you step on. Finally, you must find a window seat at the back, and settle into the chair, watching the grey world outside from high atop your throne.