March 12 2014 ' the exchange bureau'

Today, there was a slight drizzle before the arrival of the bus. At the stop when I arrived was Comp, Ms. Shewsbury (MS), BFB's victim and several others. I approached and asked Ms. Shewsbury if she was okay and if she had any recent problems with the BFB. She said all was well, to which Comp gave a snide smile. Then to my surprise as the bus drew near, I saw she and the 'victim'  take their money and hand it to the young man standing at the stop. I remarked that the bus fare bullying was spreading, and MS suggested that from now on, she was asking for a commission,   but now, there was a significant difference.

These persons were willingly passing their money over, there was no terror and fear in their eyes and from their actions they seemed to have had prior knowledge of what to do. I suspected  that the man asked them beforehand to give him the fares, so he would pay for them, and they were willing to cooperate. My only wish is that my friend (Comp) was observing, noticing and taking notes, so that she would be able to amend her ways. 

On board, the confusion again with the seats. Row2  was in row 1, who gave a good morning with her eyes and bright smile,  and  R2L was present in her place. P was also in her seat in the back. We sat in row 1L, in front of R2L whom we welcomed warmly.

The journey was uneventful and quiet, the only significant activity was my final failed attempt to give R2 a mint. As the black bag came out, I asked R2L if she wanted one and she accepted  and me and comp had ours. I asked R2 if she would accept one today and she politely declined, with that graceful smile again, saying that she doesn't eat mints. I finally accepted  my failure, and have resolved not to be a bother in the future.

The school girl  with  the incident of the old man and the bag got in, and a little later the Julianna lookalike and Perfume. At the Rock Hall stop at the end of the runway, a pregnant lady got on board. She stood in front of the reserved seats waiting for someone to give way, but no one moved. I was just about to offer mine, when a senior gentleman sitting there volunteered to stand up. This started a murmur in the bus, started by R2L. The reason, the pregnant woman was standing and waiting in front of the school girl who was sitting in the seat and refused to move. It appeared that the thought never crossed her mind that she should give way, and it was eventually after a little delay and no movement, that the senior stood. The young girl was decried as uncaring and her actions shameful. It certainly did not reflect well on her image and that of the school.

With that incident behind us we progressed gradually, talking from topic to topic until we all departed at our stops.

PS  118.24

Éste es el día que hizo Jehová; ¡nos gozaremos y alegraremos en él! 

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.