In Line

by Fran Bello

Waiting in line is the great equalizer—everyone stands, shuffles, and sighs, regardless of status. It’s a silent agreement to coexist in shared anticipation. Some check their phones, some stare into space, others calculate time lost like they’re owed interest. But the line doesn’t care; it teaches patience by force and rhythm by design. In line, we are reminded that movement is often subtle and reward uncertain. And maybe the destination matters less than who we become while waiting.

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Fran Bello writes from a sunlit kitchen in Portland, Oregon.