Prompt: Zoom in and Zoom Out

Writing Challenge Day 7 of 30

Trying to strike up a conversation, John tried to think of topic that might interest the bus driver. “Can you believe that game last night? I thought the Bears were finally going to turn around their performance. But damn, guess it’s not going to be this year.”

“You talking about a football game? I don’t follow football,” replied Billy.

“Say what?! How could you not follow the greatest sport in the world.”

“I’m just not interested.”

“Well, what do you do in your free time then? What sports team do you cheer for? Who do you follow?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? You think because I drive a bus that I’m not educated and need to fill up my free time escaping my reality and cheering for a sports team? I’m not educated to be a surgeon like you, but I can find meaningful stuff to do in my free time.”

John was taken aback and quickly apologized.

“If you’re really interested, I like to garden. I volunteer at a hospital and bring flowers to the patients there. I’m just really not a fan of any sport, especially football. Football seems too much about demonstrating raw power over another person. It makes me feel uncomfortable.”

John thought this was an interesting comment coming from a very well built man and wondered what events might have shaped Billy’s thinking about this.

(A truck driver, A surgeon, A football game)