Overheard on the bus

her: reading something earnestly to him from her phone

him: not really listening – “What? Street kids? They don’t care.”

i can’t see her face, but i can feel her horrified stare

him: “Sorry. I didn’t mean that. Of course they care.”

he goes back to his phone – she carries on glaring for a bit and then returns to her’s

a few seconds go by

him: “What I meant to say was, they don’t matter.”