7.15 pm on a summer Saturday, Bus 55 chugged merrily along. Somewhere near Goodge Street, I stopped daydreaming.
A lady standing on the pavement was earnestly pleading with the bus driver with many variations of 'Please, pleeeease wait, she is coming right now'. Presumably an old folk.
A pause. About twenty pair of eyes waited to see who it was.
But suddenly, the bus started moving. Everyone let out a hugely disapproving 'Ohh!'.
It was so disapproving that the person standing nearest to the bus-driver had to defend him: 'He's just pulling over to wait for her.'
And then a collective 'Ahh'.
Three seconds later, the heroine stepped up onto the bus. The punkish-looking teenage girl nearest to the entrance stood up from her seat.
(I have great respect for punkish-looking folks; they are often the most decent people.)
When I'm 70 and walk like a snail, a city like this is where I'd like to be.
Clarification: London is not the city like this. I'm happy to say I've written several letters over the years (often prompted by my mum) to commend bus drivers in Singapore for their kindness. One particularly stood out. He didn't just stop and wait. He got out of his driver seat, helped the shakey 80-year-old passenger to a seat then got back in to drive on.
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hmmm.. true.. but does it not start with us?
ReplyDeleteoh i completely agree with you larling! nicest punk i've ever met was also the punkest fella i've ever seen. remember nikki from turkey? :)
ReplyDelete@Deborah: It completely does :) For avoidance of doubt, London is not the city like this. I'm happy to say that I've written several letters over the years to commend bus drivers in Singapore for their kindness. One particularly stood out. He didn't just stop and wait. He got out of his driver seat, helped the shakey 80-year-old passenger to a seat then got back in to drive on.
ReplyDelete@larling: I completely had nikki in mind too when I wrote that sentence! And I wish you were there to hear that disapproving, frowny 'Ohhh!'.... It was so funny.