This morning I went to a different bus stop than usual. A professional looking man, also waiting at the stop, turned toward me and asked:
Man: “Do you have any extra tickets?”
Me: “Yes.”
Man: “Oh, because I just realized I forgot my wallet at home.”
Me: “Well, do you have cash?”
Man: “Yeah, but it’s in my wallet at home.”
Me: “Oh.”
Man: “Do you think I could borrow a ticket and repay you next time I see you?”
Me: “I don’t usually use this bus stop, so I don’t think we’d see each other again.”
Man: “... I guess I’ll see if the bus driver will let me on.”
When the bus arrived, he talked to the bus driver and then turned around and left the bus, dejected. I had one last chance right there to give him my extra ticket, but I stayed quiet.
I got on the bus and sat down to contemplate my handling of this interesting situation (which seems like a perfect scenario to print up on a Scruples card). Here are the facts: the ticket costs $1.80, so it’s no skin off my back. At the same time, the next bus comes in 15 minutes, so it’s not like the man hosed for missing this bus.
So, I’m ok with my descision. I don’t think I was being a dick, but then I definitely didn’t going out of my way to help the guy. But... what would you have done?
Punched him in the gut.
Because...
A) He shouldn't have left his money wallet at home. A gut punch to remind him next time.
B) He could be lying about the whole thing, which definately deserves a gut punch.
C) He could be coming onto you which is TOTALLY gay i.e. gut punch.
D) He's a stranger talking to you and for me there's no quicker way to receive an elbow to the nose, or a gut punch than strangers talking to me.
I don't ride public transportation.
you have bus tickets? for the bus?
i would have offered to trade him a ticket for his socks. just to see if he was really committed to the whole thing.
You said he was professional looking? Well if you and I have the same concept of "professional" I would have given him the extra ticket. He can't do anything but ride the bus with it and even if he sold it on the TriMet Black market...he only would have been able to buy a pack of gum....win-win for you and others, as I see it.
I've actually given some thought to this kind of situation, though slightly different.
Lately I've been riding the max. Before I bought a gob of tickets, I kept getting asked for spare change "for a max/bus ticket". I always said, "no, I don't". Since, now, I have a lot of tickets, I figured that the next time I get asked I'll offer one of my tickets....needless to say, no one has asked me for "bus fare" lately so I havn't had a chance to try it out.
Who knows?...I might get sluged in the gut!
@scott
that's right you might get slugged in the gut, I'd do that if someone offered me a max ticket, how am I supposed to buy cheap wine with that?!
Would have given him a ticket. Told him to "pay it forward". HA.