Bus Driver Throws Elderly Woman Off the Bus

A bus driver throws an elderly woman off his bus because she can’t pay the fare, but when he later arrives at his fiancée’s home, he discovers exactly who she is.

George Harris was nearing the end of his shift when the snow started falling. Not the light, pretty kind, but thick, heavy flakes that made the air feel dense and suffocating. He slammed his palm against the steering wheel. “Perfect. Just perfect. Today of all days.”

He pulled up to a bus stop and watched passengers climb aboard, one after another, tapping their cards and moving along quickly. Then an elderly woman in a long, dark coat stepped forward and began digging through her bag.

George groaned inwardly. She was going to slow everything down, and every minute mattered if he wanted to make it on time to meet Angelica’s parents.

“Good afternoon,” the woman said kindly, offering a gentle smile. “I’m so sorry, my wallet seems to have slipped to the bottom of my bag…” She continued searching and started pulling things out.

First came a hairbrush. Then a tiny folding umbrella. A makeup pouch. A snack bar.

“Lady,” George snapped, irritation bubbling over, “would you find the money already?”

“I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I went into the city to buy my granddaughter an engagement gift and I must have dropped it… Oh no. My phone is gone too!” Her face went pale, and tears of embarrassment shimmered in her eyes.

George crossed his arms. “I hear stories like this all the time,” he said coldly. “You either pay and stay on the bus, or you get off and walk home.”

“I swear to you,” the woman pleaded. “This is the truth. My wallet is gone, and I have no way to get home.”

George sneered. “Well, that’s too bad, because you’re not riding on my bus.”

“Please, son,” the woman said with quiet dignity. “I recently had knee surgery. I can’t drive, which is why I took the bus. I won’t be able to walk that far in this weather.”

“You should have thought of that before pulling this scam!” George shouted. “GET OFF!”

The woman hurriedly stuffed her belongings back into her bag and stepped off the bus. George caught one last glimpse of her in the rearview mirror. She looked small and lost in the falling snow, tears glistening in her eyes. For just a moment, he felt a faint pang of guilt.

Then he glanced at the clock on the dashboard.

He was already late.

George pulled away from the stop, certain he would never see her again.

As he drove, his thoughts turned to Angie. Angelica was incredible. Beautiful, intelligent, and completely out of his league, according to everyone he knew. Since when did a millionaire’s daughter fall in love with a bus driver?

But from the moment they met, the connection had been instant. Her parents hadn’t exactly been thrilled about the idea of their only daughter marrying a bus driver, but Angie had stood her ground.

Tonight was his first official dinner with the Westerly family, and he wanted to make a good impression. That meant getting home quickly, showering, and changing into his best suit.

Forty-five minutes later, George stood nervously outside a stunning brownstone in Tribeca, adjusting his tie before ringing the doorbell.

“I’ll get it!” he heard Angie call out brightly.

The door opened, and there she was. George barely had time to react before she threw her arms around him, her familiar perfume surrounding him. “Don’t be nervous,” she whispered. “I love you.”

Angie led him into an elegant living room, where a slender woman who looked remarkably like her rose to greet him.

“You must be George,” she said politely. “I’m Meredith, Angie’s mother. My husband is running a bit late. He had to pick up my mother from the city.”

“That’s perfectly fine,” George replied, searching for something appropriate to say. “Your home is beautiful. Did you decorate it yourself?”

Meredith brightened immediately and began giving him a tour, pointing out various decorative pieces, each accompanied by a story from the family’s travels.

Then George’s heart nearly stopped.

On the mantel, in a heavy silver frame, was a photograph of the elderly woman he had thrown off the bus.

“Oh my God,” George gasped. “Who is that?”

Meredith waved dismissively. “That’s my husband’s mother. Angie’s grandmother. She’s quite a handful. Can you believe she lost her wallet today? Or had it stolen, who knows.”

A chill ran down George’s spine. Before he could respond, the front door opened.

A tall, middle-aged man entered, his arm wrapped protectively around the shoulders of the same elderly woman.

“Meredith,” he said urgently, “please ask for some hot tea for my mother. She’s freezing.”

Angie rushed forward and hugged the woman tightly. “Oh, Gran Millie,” she said. “You have to be more careful.”

“I was careful,” the woman replied. “I had my wallet after buying your gift, but by the time I was on the bus, it was gone.”

She shivered. “And the bus driver was terribly unkind. He wouldn’t listen. He wouldn’t help.”

Then her eyes landed on George.

“You!” she cried. “What are you doing here? If a kind stranger hadn’t let me use her phone, I’d still be standing out there in the snow!”

Angelica frowned in confusion. “What do you mean, Gran?” she asked. “This is George. We’re having dinner with him.”

“I’m not confused,” the woman said sharply. “This is the man who threw me off his bus in the snow and accused me of being a con artist.”

Angelica slowly turned toward George, her face drained of color. “You did this?” she asked quietly.

“Angie, I was running late,” George tried to explain. “I didn’t know she was your grandmother…”

But the words fell flat. Angelica looked at him like she was seeing him for the first time. Then, without a word, she slipped the ring from her finger and handed it to him.

“Take it,” she said. “I don’t even know who you are anymore. I won’t marry you.”

George fell to his knees, begging for forgiveness, but nothing he said could undo what had been revealed. As he walked back out into the snow, alone, he understood the truth.

He hadn’t lost her because of bad luck.

He lost her because he chose cruelty over kindness.

What can we learn from this story?

Kindness costs nothing, but cruelty can cost you everything. If George had shown compassion, he would have had a future with Angie.

Never dismiss a genuine cry for help. Gran Millie needed understanding, and George’s selfishness cost him the love of his life.