The Architecture of Waiting

image generated by ai of a bus terminal

I am sitting here with a watch, a notebook, and a very specific goal: to record exactly what I see for the next sixty minutes. In the booklet, Professor Matthews describes this kind of observational writing as being like a "camera recording in real time," using language as the capture device (Matthews 117).

Right now, my "lens" is focused on the local bus terminal. It is a space defined by transit, yet everyone here is perfectly still.

To my left, a man in a neon work vest is defending a plastic bench as if it’s a fortress. He has his backpack on the seat next to him and his boots kicked out, creating a physical "No Trespassing" zone. It is a fascinating bit of human psyche—even in a public space, we look for ways to claim territory. D’Agata mentions that "knowledge is problematic the moment we start trying to nail it down," and looking at this man, I realize I don’t actually know if he’s tired, grumpy, or just protective of his bag (D'Agata 132). I only know the "truth" of the space he’s occupying.

The air smells like stale coffee and diesel exhaust. A woman across from me is frantically digging through a massive tote bag, her face twisted in that specific "I lost my keys" panic. There is a clear Conflict here, even if it’s a small one. The Rising Action is the way she starts dumping items onto her lap: a crumpled receipt, a half-eaten granola bar, a lone mitten.

As I watch her, I’m reminded of what Anne Lamott says about "your version of things" (Lamott 6). A security guard might see her as a clutter risk; a commuter might see her as an obstacle; but as a writer, I see the "essence" of her stress.

The clock says I have forty minutes left. I’m just trying to stay honest to the scene, even if my own tricky thoughts keep trying to add a "creative" spin to why she can't find those keys.

References

D’Agata, John. "We Might as Well Call it the Lyric Essay." ENG 211: Introduction to Creative Writing, 2025, pp. 129-132.

Lamott, Anne. "12 Truths I Learned from Life and Writing." TED, Apr. 2017, www.ted.com/talks/anne_lamott_12_truths_i_learned_from_life_and_writing.

Matthews, Araminta Star. "Introduction to Writing Creative Nonfiction: Hint—It’s Not What You Think." ENG 211: Introduction to Creative Writing, 2025, pp. 112-118.