41. “This Is What I’m Gonna Do About It”
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I work as a train driver. I drive smaller trains mostly out in the countryside, and people are generally nice and well-behaved. But of course, there are also the general weirdos who use public transport and some people that just live to be a pain in the butt.
This was a few years ago. We were traveling in the late afternoon, and my conductor (let’s say C) storms into the driver’s cabin, angry and annoyed, and tells me:
C: We have two rude good-for-nothing guys onboard!
Me: What did they do?
C: They have no tickets, and refuse to pay. They just laughed in my face when I said they had to. ‘What are you gonna do about it?’ they said.
Me: Should I help you throw them off at the next stop?
C: We can’t because they’re just traveling one station, so they’re getting off at the next stop! We’re both angry, so I let the conductor rant and let off some steam.
The next stop comes, and the guys get off. We continue the short remaining journey and have a break at the end station.
Some hours later, the train then heads back the way we came. Since it’s the countryside and it’s a late weekend evening, the train is almost empty on the way back.
The conductor knows where every passenger on board is getting off, and she’s up in front with me, chatting. Until… …we approach the station where we let those guys off.
We see two people standing there. It.is.them. The conductor says, with the biggest smile on her face: “Do not stop.” When we pass them, my conductor opens the window, waves, and says loud and happily: “THIS IS WHAT I’M GONNA DO ABOUT IT!”
