A little asian boy, maybe middle school-aged, was totally asleep when I got on the bus the other day. His head was falling toward the aisle where I was standing, so I cupped his head and lifted it back to upright. He woke up, looked at me startled, then moved his schoolbooks off the seat next to him by the window and moved his legs, as if I had asked him to clear the seat next to him so I could sit. "Oh, thanks," I said, happy to have a seat.

I sat down and he nodded off again, almost letting go of his books. Since he had been totally out at the previous stop, I asked him where he was getting off at and he looked around, startled and dazed, to see if it was his exit. He couldn't even answer me, so I asked him "Mission Street? Later?" and he said yes. I moved my leg a little closer to his as he nodded off to sleep again so that his books wouldn't fall onto the floor. About 10 minutes later he woke up, looked at me and said, "Are you from my school or something?"

"No," I said, "I just didn't want you to fall down into the aisle," I said with a smile. He looked confused, and a little incredulous that I should take a personal interest in him if I didn't work for his school. He was quiet for a long time.

A few stops later he stood up to get off the bus, and turned his head to say, "Thank you."

"You bet," I said with a smile.

That was a nice interaction.