The boy’s mother, seated beside him, was engrossed in her phone and completely unaware of her son’s behavior. As another kick hit Jose’s back, he took a slow, deep breath, breathing in the stale bus air.
His patience was wearing thin as the child’s dirty sneakers repeatedly collided with his seat. Jose shut his eyes for a moment, trying to stay positive. He figured the kicking would likely continue only a few more minutes until the bus started moving.