FELICIA RETURNS

Felicia (see earlier post) got on my bus again the other day. As usual, she slid in behind someone that was paying their fare. When I turned and saw who it was, I told her to get off the bus. She totally ignored me and sat down and started asking people for money and transfers. I told everyone not to give her anything and told her, again, to get off my bus. When she realized nobody was going to give her anything, she strolled out the back door.

Some lady in the front asked if I knew that girl. I explained that she never seems to ride the bus, she just asks for money and transfers so she can go and buy some crack to smoke. The lady asked how I knew she was really on drugs. I almost laughed. Stevie Wonder could see it! The girl looks like Felicia the crackhead on the movie "Friday". (That's where I gave her the name from) I just explained that last time I had her arrested for panhandling on the bus, the officers took away a crack pipe and took her in for warrants. The officer also said they had been dealing with her for many years. He told me if he showed me her picture from before she started doing drugs that I would never recognize her. She was a beautiful girl at one time.

Bus riders, do everyone a favor. DON'T let your inner niceness talk you into giving money to people that get on the bus and have short fares or flat out ask for money. It is because people think they are doing a nice thing and giving them money that they continue to do it. I've had people ask others for money and when I told them panhandling was not allowed on the bus, they pulled out a bunch of money and paid their own fare! Or when they find out they aren't going to get a transfer with a short fare, they pay the rest of the fare. They are just seeing what they can get away with.

If you want to give away your hard earned money, give it to a reputable charity. That is the right thing to do and your money won't go to the drug dealers or the liquor stores!