A New Direction

It’s time to move forward in this uplifting short story by Keith Havers.

Gavin’s travel plans were on hold –just like the rest of his life . . .

- Keith Havers

GAVIN hardly glanced at the information board as he strolled up to the bus stop. The electronic sign claimed that the next bus was due in 12 minutes, but the young man had other things on his mind. He looked at his phone. Still no messages. The rolling advert beneath the timetable information read: Decide where you want to go. We’ll take you there. City Network, here to serve you.

As usual he was the first one here, but there would soon be four or five more for the morning commute into the city. Should I text her, he wondered. Then it occurred to him that, like himself, Janet would also be on her way into work. She wouldn’t want the distraction of a message from Gavin. Especially not after last night. “Morning.” Gavin hadn’t noticed the guy in the smart suit arriving at the shelter. He nodded in reply and returned to his thoughts. Maybe I’ll see her later, he mused. As one of the IT technicians at the County Council offices, he knew there was a fair chance their paths might cross. Gavin could even make an excuse for going down to Human Resources where she worked.

There was bound to be an upgrade due on some of the computers, or maybe the cables needed checking. He wouldn’t even have to speak to her. He could just assess her demeanour towards him; check her body language; see if she was prepared to make eye contact with him.

“And I told him when he offered to take me out for a meal that I wasn’t expecting a kebab and a diet cola.”

The girl in the high heels and big earrings had arrived. The ever-present mobile phone seemed glued to her ear as she complained to some unknown listener about her current boyfriend.

Yesterday it was her mum who had annoyed her. Tomorrow it would probably be her dad or her boss. Gavin shut out her constant whingeing and tried to focus on his own dilemma.