Kittens on the night bus

I was a bit later than I wanted leaving the student centre. The night bus goes at 10:08 and waits for no man. Not only that but my 5-journey ticket had been used up on the tram earlier in the day so I needed a new one. You can get them from the tram machines but I had no time for the detour to the tram stop. I hurried to the bus stop fingering my 10 euro note.

The bus came. Four people got on - three dames then me.

Vous avez des Tickartes ? ( Do you have any tickets ? )

J'en ai plus. ( I have sold them all. I don't have any more. I have run out. )

Oh the shame ! By this time we were already hurtling through the streets of Bordeaux at a rate of knots, and we don't go near any tram machines and I just knew he was thinking "You want to pay ? You big girl's blouse ! Nobody pays on the night bus..."

But I was thinking "How long in the slammer for this ? Will the spectre believe my story when he comes on ( though I have never seen a spectre on the night bus ) ? and "If nobody ever pays on the night bus then the bus company will think nobody uses it and cancel the service, then where will we be ?"

By this time I was home. Well, all that fretting occupied the mind during the journey, I suppose.

This morning Gwilym heard a song about someone spending time in jail and he said "Did you ever steal anything when you were young ?"

I said, "I don't think so, but I rode home on the bus last night without paying", and I unburdened my soul to him.

"Well it wasn't for want of trying", he said, dismissively.

Comments

joydriven said…
that's hysterical! =}

you should get a refillable monthly card--so much cheaper and not so prone to guilt-incurring situations...
6:55 pm
Alan said…
Yes, but with a 5 journey Tickarte Pat can use it too if she goes into town without me.
8:32 am
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