SHOES I COULD NEVER FILL
When I was in training, eleven years ago, one of my instructors said something that I have found to be very true. The people that are not at a bus stop, prepared to catch a bus, are the ones that will cause you trouble.
I was driving up near the cab stand at Nicollet and Grant. There was this young girl that must have been trying to get a deal from the cabbie. She was talking fast and flailing her arms around. The cabbie just looked down and shook his head "no". Then he saw my bus coming and directed her to it, pointing in my direction. Of course, someone rang the bell and I had to make the bus stop. I knew this wasn't going to be good.
I opened the door and my passenger got off the bus. The young girl came running up and asked him for his transfer. He gave it to her, which is illegal. She got on and I informed her that she could not use that transfer. She gave me some sob story about how she was pregnant (how is that my fault??!!??) and she needed to get down to 7Th street. I told her the downtown zone was 50 cents. She said she didn't have any money. Hmmm...about to have a baby and doesn't have 50 cents? Guess our taxes will be supporting that poor baby. Anyway, I informed her that riding without paying the fair was illegal, as was using someone else's transfer. She could get a $180 fine for fare evasion.
I had to get to the midnight line up (all buses meet for 10 minutes so people can connect with other buses...it's a great idea. Makes it easy for passengers.) I didn't want to be late, so I continued to drive as I informed her of the rules. I was secretly hoping the transit police would be there so I could get her a ticket. She had turned into quite a little smart ass. I decided to just leave it alone, not say anything else and just get there. As I drove along, she kept going. Talking about what a heartless bitch I was and how I should put myself in her shoes. Hmmmm...put myself in her shoes. Young, immature, broke, pregnant and running my unborn child around the streets of Minneapolis at midnight. Nope, just couldn't see being irresponsible enough to ever be in her shoes.
She had gotten so mouthy, it was really hard for me to just ignore it. Somehow, I managed to. I wanted to tell her to just shut up. Obviously, the bus was moving so she was getting where she was going. I didn't call the cops. I didn't take the transfer away. I didn't kick her off the bus. She should just shut up and enjoy her free ride. I'm sure there was some Divine intervention that allowed me to just ignore her until she got off the bus.
I was more than disappointed when I got to 7Th street. Not one transit cop in sight. They normally sit right on the corner for the line ups. To top it all off, the too-young-and-irresponsible-to-be-pregnant girl got off and the first thing she did was light up a cigarette. Hmmm...put myself in her shoes. Sorry, just can't do it!
I was driving up near the cab stand at Nicollet and Grant. There was this young girl that must have been trying to get a deal from the cabbie. She was talking fast and flailing her arms around. The cabbie just looked down and shook his head "no". Then he saw my bus coming and directed her to it, pointing in my direction. Of course, someone rang the bell and I had to make the bus stop. I knew this wasn't going to be good.
I opened the door and my passenger got off the bus. The young girl came running up and asked him for his transfer. He gave it to her, which is illegal. She got on and I informed her that she could not use that transfer. She gave me some sob story about how she was pregnant (how is that my fault??!!??) and she needed to get down to 7Th street. I told her the downtown zone was 50 cents. She said she didn't have any money. Hmmm...about to have a baby and doesn't have 50 cents? Guess our taxes will be supporting that poor baby. Anyway, I informed her that riding without paying the fair was illegal, as was using someone else's transfer. She could get a $180 fine for fare evasion.
I had to get to the midnight line up (all buses meet for 10 minutes so people can connect with other buses...it's a great idea. Makes it easy for passengers.) I didn't want to be late, so I continued to drive as I informed her of the rules. I was secretly hoping the transit police would be there so I could get her a ticket. She had turned into quite a little smart ass. I decided to just leave it alone, not say anything else and just get there. As I drove along, she kept going. Talking about what a heartless bitch I was and how I should put myself in her shoes. Hmmmm...put myself in her shoes. Young, immature, broke, pregnant and running my unborn child around the streets of Minneapolis at midnight. Nope, just couldn't see being irresponsible enough to ever be in her shoes.
She had gotten so mouthy, it was really hard for me to just ignore it. Somehow, I managed to. I wanted to tell her to just shut up. Obviously, the bus was moving so she was getting where she was going. I didn't call the cops. I didn't take the transfer away. I didn't kick her off the bus. She should just shut up and enjoy her free ride. I'm sure there was some Divine intervention that allowed me to just ignore her until she got off the bus.
I was more than disappointed when I got to 7Th street. Not one transit cop in sight. They normally sit right on the corner for the line ups. To top it all off, the too-young-and-irresponsible-to-be-pregnant girl got off and the first thing she did was light up a cigarette. Hmmm...put myself in her shoes. Sorry, just can't do it!
posted by Jeanne Ree at 7:52 PM
4 Comments:
Wow...aren't you righteous....?!?
Nice post. And nice to see you back posting.
Busboy - Thanks...glad I didn't lose everyone!! Just wanna get the book together.
Momma - No,I just try and be responsible. The best gift each of us can give our community is to take care of ourselves so we aren't a burden on them. Then we can help those that need our help. I prefer to help those less fortunate, not those that CHOOSE to screw up their lives.
With the new "free ride" policy along Nicollet Mall for the northbound 18 buses and southbound 10 buses, all pregnant smoker needed was to wait for the right bus.
If ever there were an example of why abortion should remain legal...
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