Apart from the huge amount of idiots behind the wheels of 4x4’s, supposed super cars’ and other ego enhancing automobiles making the roads as treacherous as an elephant walking through a minefield, yesterday was a pretty ordinary day. That was until my last pick up for the night.
I was booked to collect a group of young girls from Kings Cross going into town. Like all these kinds of groups, they were bubbly, chatty and dressed in whatever the kids of today call clothes, as they climbed aboard the bus.
I turned the music up a bit for them and changed it over to Capital fm, I didn’t think that they would be into Smooth, unlike me. They giggled, chatted and bopped throughout the journey, after about 15 minutes one of them tapped me on the shoulder and said quietly “do you think we could stop so I can get some coke, I’ll show you where”
Unbelievable, I thought. These kids want to score drugs and get high on my bus. No, surely not - they look so innocent, the girl was still smiling sweetly at me, waiting for my answer. I cleared my throat and growled as sternly as I could “I presume you mean the coca-cola variety”.
She paused for a second, and looked at me quite quizzically. What is she thinking I wondered...then she slowly said 'welllll, I guess pepsi would do...'
So, now I felt totally stupid and made a mental note to stop being so suspicious of everyone. I just nodded, mumbled ok, and sank down in my seat whilst navigating down a narrow little lane to the shop she suggested.
They were in the shop for what seemed like a lifetime, especially as I had to listen to that right racket on the radio instead of my usual Smooth fm. Then back they came, arms filled with snacks and pop like they were about to have a party! “You’re not eating all that on my bus” I barked at them, “I’ve just had it cleaned and I don’t want it getting messed up, do you hear?”
They just smiled and giggled again, what was wrong with them I thought. “Had they been inhaling helium?”
“It’s not for us, silly” they laughed. “We’d get fat if we ate all this junk, we bought it for you, to say thanks for being such a great driver and taking care of us”
So, for the second time that evening, I wanted the ground to open and swallow me up - time to call it a day!
