As the bus began to pick up speed, the increasing roar of the engines outside made it harder to ignore each thud against his back. Jose focused on steadying his breath, determined not to let this minor annoyance ruin his peace for the rest of the trip.
He considered that a polite request to the boy might resolve the seat-kicking issue. With this in mind, Jose turned around, trying to muster a courteous smile despite the exhaustion that made him look like a tired man struggling to be pleasant.