Stick 'Em Up

So I was riding the bus and I was mad. I missed my bus so I was trying to be creative and find an alternative route. I walked to Ashland and jumped on the bus there. Well, apparently, everybody else and their mamas missed their buses too and the bus was super, extra, mega crowded. I stood in the front so that I could disembark (escape) when I got to the "L." I noticed that people were having issues with the new Ventra fare cards and the driver mentioned that you should keep the cards away from your debit cards because they will transfer money from your account to the card. WHAT?!?! What kind of special bullshit is this? I've also heard that if you pass by terminals that accept that form of payment it will take all your money off the card just by passing by. Really. Really? I get on the bus to avoid walking through the bad neighborhoods and now you are telling me I will get stuck up by my FARE CARD?! What's next? Am I going to get mugged by my Walmart gift card?

Later that day I'm trying to get back home. I wasn't feeling good so I was just ready to go. I get to the shuttle and the driver is flirting with another driver saying how sexy she was and that they needed to get together. He was so loud that I had to see who this "fine ass woman" was. When my eyes finally focused I started to get off the shuttle because it was very obvious that this man cheated on his eye exam for his driver's test. Either that or he was "fresh out" and anything with a hole was fine to him.

Question: If you don't have your fare together or you have a "story" to tell the driver why you can't pay your fare why would you get on the bus first and keep everyone else waiting to get on?

Answer: So that the bus driver would get frustrated and wave you on so that he can drive off. It's a ploy so that he will not kick you off the bus. That is why they look at you funny when you put your fare in while they are in the middle of their story because if the line keeps moving before they finish they will get kicked off. Someone ALWAYS has a story about why they can't pay the fare.