Blinded

We’ve been sitting in the lounge chatting and talking and joking around for… okay, I don’t know how long, since I can’t see my watch – which is actually quite redundant at the moment – but it seems like an hour or so.
I get up.

“Where’re you going?” I can’t even move an inch without a bunch of questions and worried looks are thrown my way. I thought they’d loosened up – I guess not.

“Bathroom.” I keep on walking. I find the plastic wall of the bus and let my hand glide over the surface. I can feel the edge of the closet, then the pantry. Next up is the rough side of Velcro that’s stuck to the wall, where the drape to the bunks is stuck to when we sleep. Yep, there it is.
One bunk.
The second bunk.
The third.
And then the little opening for the slide door at the other end of the bus. And then, ladies and gentlemen: the bathroom!!
The door is already slightly ajar, so I just push it open and walk in. I flip the seat down – a bus with nothing but men results in the seat being up 99 % of the time – pull my pants down and sit.
It’s weird. Not seeing anything. Usually when I sit here I check if there’s toilet paper, look at the faux wood the door is made out of and try not to look at my own reflection in the mirror – ‘cause seeing yourself sitting on a toilet is no pretty sight, I’m sure you know.
But now. Now I don’t have to avoid the mirror. ‘Cause I can’t see the mirror.
I dry up, pull my pants up and turn around to search for the flush-button. I can’t find it. Each bus is different – the toilet always! I can’t find that damn button.
I give up. I turn around, wash my hands and search around for the towel. I’m just about to go nuts when I can’t find it, but oh – there it is. I dry my hands before I unlock the door and get out.
With my first step, I bump into someone.

“Sorry! Sorry,” Frank says. I recognize his voice. I’ll always be able to. Hopefully I’ll soon be able to recognize his face before his voice.
But yeah, sure I will! Come on! Of course!

“It’s okay,” I say reassuringly.

“No. I mean. I’m sorry. I was just waiting, and. Sorry!”

“Frank, calm down.” I place a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m fine, okay?” I don’t even wait for a reply.
“I can manage.” He doesn’t say anything, so I just squeeze his shoulder before I let go and find the wall again. I begin to walk away. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that Frank is more jumpy than usual. It’s like he’s uncomfortable being around me. Nervous or something. Is he weirded out by the fact that I’m suddenly blind? ‘Cause he can’t possibly feel like it’s his fault. I threw the water on the stage. The fault is mine, and mine alone.
I make my way back to the lounge area, and I can hear Frank isn’t following. I assume he was waiting for me to come out so he could enter the bathroom, but I haven’t heard the door lock – or even close. Sure, we’re all guys, but we do keep stuff like peeing private.
I shrug and keep on walking. I reach the lounge pretty quickly. I easily find my seat beside Mikey again, and I quickly join the conversation about breakfast cereal.