The Night Bus

Aibek missed the last bus home. It was eleven o'clock, and the street was dark and quiet. His phone battery was almost dead.

He sat down at the bus stop and thought about his options. He could walk, but his house was six kilometres away. He could call his brother, but his brother was probably asleep.

Then an old man sat down next to him. The man had a small bag of apples and a newspaper.

"Waiting for the bus?" the man asked.

"Yes, but I think it has already gone," Aibek said.

The man smiled. "There is a night bus. Not many people know about it. It comes at half past eleven."

Aibek did not believe him. He had lived in this city all his life, and he had never heard of a night bus.

But at exactly half past eleven, a small blue bus stopped in front of them. The driver opened the door and waved.

The old man stood up and gave Aibek an apple. "Sometimes the thing you need is already there," he said. "You just have to wait long enough to see it."

Aibek got on the bus. When he turned around to say thank you, the bench was empty.