Evening Edition February 28 2014 'the beggar'

Evening edition

The 5.00pm Bayfield bus started with drama. A Well House resident known for begging and being drunk, was refused entry by the bus driver because he did not have the correct fare.   He stepped on the bus but was asked to get back off because ;

1.) he presented an iD card with a black cloth over the face and

2.) he only had $1. 

The bus driver was quick to spot the scam and refused him. I met this man once before at the Well House stop. One morning he came begging for money to get on the bus, when I told him I had no small change, but could pay for him out of a larger note when we got in, he changed his mind, saying he was not leaving right way, but wanted to travel later. He tried a few others at the stop and then left when no one gave him money.  This evening after being put out the bus, he reentered the terminal and started begging for one dollar. After being refused by a few, I told him I would pay the additional dollar when he paid his. We got on the bus, he paid his dollar and I added mine. The driver then remarked about the ID card and that the man had money in his pocket. He was known to the driver for his beer drinking and regular schemes. Even though I was skeptical, I had no issue with paying the fare for him. Give him cash , No! Helping him to get home , okay.

This was the evening of Agrofest and the celebrations for the 375 anniversary of parliament. Traffic was chaotic and on the road to the hospital, the driver turned off the engine on two occasions while waiting for the traffic to move. It took 20 minutes to traverse that short section of road.

While waiting in the stalled line, I remembered the call I got from comp about an hour earlier, saying she was put out a 'castle bus' because it was supposed to be going to Silver Sands.  That sounded familiar, a case of 'déjà vu' as I had a similar experience two days ago. Of course , I was laughed at, and of course, I got great delight that retribution had come so quickly. What a man sows, that shall he also reap. I'm still waiting to hear the rest of the story. The last info I got was a SMS saying ' more drama, just got switched to other bus, pray for me'. 

Taking note of these myriad bus experiences can become a full time profession. Driving the car, was a tiring, frustrating experience compared to the never ending adventure you experience on these buses. I once felt proud to be a member of the National Geographic Society, and would display my certificate with pride. Little did I know, that I would be on an 'expedition', traveling the unchartered territories of the Bayfield and Sam Lord's wilderness and recording them in the Chronicles.

Until the next adventure!

Explorer Compañero