Boy (to driver): does this bus go to La Trobe?
Bus driver: *taps his earphones as if to say "can't you see I'm listening to music" and tries to shoo the boy away with one movement of his hand.
Boy: does it go to La Trobe?
Bus driver: *nods reluctantly.
Boy: can I get a two hour concession, zone two ticket, please.
Bus driver: *shakes his head and pulls his Ipod out of his pocket, presumably turning it up, he slides it back in.
Boy: *pulls coins out of pocket and tries to hand them to the driver.
Bus driver: No ticket, no ride.
Boy: well, can I buy a ticket?
Bus driver: no.
Boy: *almost stands his ground but evidently decides it's not worth the trouble. He gets off the bus and sits back on the bus stop.
The bus driver then picks up a packet of cigarettes and a flask of soup and stands on the pavement, eating, smoking and listening to his music. This wouldn't have been a problem if the bus were early, or if it was driver change over time, but neither were true.
While he was standing outside a couple of plastic blonde girls approach him and ask something, he nods and gestures at the bus, the girls get on without validating or buying a ticket. The bus driver does nothing.
The driver gets back on the bus, takes a seat and settles himself in. A little old lady climbs up onto the bus and sweetly talks to the driver:
Lady: excuse me, do I need to pay to take this bus?
Bus driver: (*angrily whips his ear phones out) you need a ticket.
Lady: I haven't got one of those, could I just pay you with coins?
Bus driver: You need a ticket.
Lady: do you sell tickets?
Bus driver: what ya want?
Lady: to visit my grandson, just a few blocks away. How much will that cost?
Bus driver: I'll give ya a two hour zone two ticket. (*he gets a ticket and holds it out for her, she goes to take it but he snaps his hand back) $5.80!
Lady: oh dear, I only have $3... I'm only going a couple of blocks away.
Middle aged man: you're charging this woman for a zone one and two ticket! She's not going that far!
Bus driver: *takes the old ladies money and hands her a different ticket.
Lady: *takes the ticket and looks around for a seat.
Bus driver: oi! You have to validate that!
Lady: oh dear, I'm sorry. Just in here? (*she tries to validate her ticket in the cash register)
Bus driver: (*pushes her hand off his register as if her shaking old fingers might destroy it) NO! In there!
Lady: (*validates ticket and takes seat.)
A few more people get on the bus and sit down, the driver sips his soup and stares out the window for what feels like a life time. He looks over at the validation machine, gets out of his seat and addresses all passengers on the bus,
Bus driver: Someone has an invalid ticket! The machine says one of YOU validated an EXPIRED ticket! Everyone come up here and show me you tickets!
We do so. One of the plastic blonde girls stays in her seat and calls out,
Plastic blonde: I think my ticket is invalid, yeah, it was a two hour but I think it's been, um, like, more than two hours or something.
Bus driver: ah, I see. That must have been the problem. Don't worry about it, dear.
And finally the bus was off and moving! He sped around corners and ran a red light. As soon as he passed the stop just before mine, I pressed the button and headed over to the door (there is less than five seconds between the stops.) He stops at my stop because there is a red light, but he doesn't open the door.
Me: could I ... (*points at door)... please get off here?
Bus driver: *shakes head.
Me: please?
Bus driver: *reluctantly opens the doors but starts moving before I'm fully off the bus.
Evil.
2 comments:
My God, he does sound actually evil!
I enjoyed your narrative of this evil bus driver immensely.
Oh! That's horrible! I would have reported him!
I once had a tram driver, on the 112 line, drinking a can of VB!!
Post a Comment