It has been quiet on the evening 13.  (Well, not last night when that young mom kept bitching at her 2 year old to, "Sit down.  You better learn to be patient.  I said NO!!!!  MIKEY!!!!!!") There has been no more, "Oh!  Hello, my friend!", since Cambodian Guy finally made the decision to leave RI.  He held on for as long as he could, trying to give his tax/insurance company a go.  His long term plan was to hang in here so that he could make enough money to get back to Cambodia.  His harrowing escape from that country in the early 90's had been filled with the promise of what it must be like to live in America: the land of plenty where dreams come true.  In the end, his dreams were unfulfilled.  He lived each day in bitter disappointment and poverty.  So he rode the bus to and fro each day and only found enjoyment in talking with those of us who rode the bus with him.  He recently discovered pleasure and relief in that preacher guy who does his thing at Kennedy Plaza.  Cambodian Guy was always so eager to talk about what he had heard, but no one wanted to listen.  Including me.  He had been searching the Internet for jobs in other parts of the country: Alaska, Colorado, California; embassy jobs in Cambodia.  He always came up empty.  Then he learned that his ex-sister in law lives in Minnesota.  He searched for jobs and still came up empty.  His disappointment sometimes made him seem despondent.  He could only dream of going back to Cambodia to find a "pretty girl" he could live the rest of his years out with, in happiness and plenty(one can hire a maid for 40 bucks a month in Cambodia!).  I got on the bus 2 weeks ago only to find out that the day before had been Cambodian Guy's last journey on the 13.  He finally made the decision to leave RI for Minnesota even though he was not sure of a job nor a place to stay with his ex relative.  Tom told me that he had tears in his eyes when he told of leaving; he wanted Tom to be sure to tell me he had said goodbye.  I remembered the times I just wanted to spend my bus ride in quiet and so put my headphones on even though I knew Cambodian Guy wanted company....  I miss him.  I hope that he finds what he is looking for: a good job, a home, companionship; a ticket back to Cambodia.  It is what we all deserve in this life: a little bit of happiness.