the moment i would take back (782 hits)
Category: GeneralRating: 1.39 on 31 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by mrez (View user info) at 2007-04-07 01:07:50 EDT
i feel as though i have failed humanity. i had a moment a few weeks ago that i just can't shake off, a moment that made me ashamed of myself.
i was raised a good person by good parents. i have a loving family, strong values, and a good heart. so, even though this moment that took place was not the end of all things good in the world, it made it seem as though i had failed to make the world a better place.
i take the bus to and from work everyday, and over the past few years i have seen a whole lot of crazy within my fellow passengers. there are the annoying ones that talk loudly on their cellphones when everyone else is dead quiet. there are the obviously insane (although appear to keep to themselves) like the man who was dressed like jesus and tied to a six foot tall cross. there are the disgusting ones like the man who smelled like feet. and then there are the dangerous ones that you avoid at all costs. i have had a few run-ins with them, there was a creepy man seated behind me who continually dragged his two fingers down my back then said "excuse me". or the one who kept telling everyone to "shut the fuck up" before verbally and physically attacking the bus driver.
not growing up in the city, i was trained as a child to believe that it was a very scary and dangerous place. that it was the kind of place that a woman never went anywhere after dark by herself. where evil people pounced on the innocent and tore them to shreds. now that i have lived in the city for a few years (and not being a naive child) i no longer fear walking alone at night. although, i can't help but be cautious; i suppose it is my mother's voice telling me not to trust any stranger.
it was around 5:30 p.m. and i was getting on the bus for my typical 35 minute ride home. as soon as i sat down, the bus driver starting yelling at someone, "ma'am, you have to pay $2 or you will have to get off the bus." it took me a few seconds to figure out that he was addressing an older woman that sat in the front seat. she was probably in her 60s and somewhat ignoring the driver's instructions. once he said it a few more times and added "if you don't pay and refuse to get off the bus, i will have to call the police" she started fumbling in her purse. i couldn't tell if she was a little crazy or perhaps homeless, or just a confused older woman all by herself. she started saying that she needed a dollar, but the driver was not cutting her any slack. that is when she started looking at the passengers on the bus.
it seemed as though i froze. there was a little angel on one of my shoulders saying to of course give her the money, it is a dollar and i should help someone in need. on the other shoulder was the little devil saying that i shouldn't give money to strangers on the bus who could potentially be out to harm me. i hesitated for one moment, and was overcome with guilt. i reached into my bag to get a dollar, but someone else gave her one before i could get to it. she paid the driver and sat back down, obviously embarrassed.
and this is the moment that continues to haunt me. i denied a lonely old woman a single dollar for a ride home on the public bus. i feel like i am an awful person, the kind of person that allows others in need to suffer because i am selfish and scared. if i could take back a moment in my life, i would take back that one.
User Reviews
Submitted by i_can_get_you_a_toe (user info) at 2007-04-09 18:10:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
That's the worst you could come up with? if so you just made me realise that i'm not a nice or good person at all.
Submitted by bigdicrick (user info) at 2007-04-09 12:00:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
If that is your worse moment, you are better than many men I know.
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2007-04-09 11:57:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by bart (user info) at 2007-04-07 02:40:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm one of the dangerous ones that you avoid at all costs.
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heh
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-04-09 11:47:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
The comments here are better than the story is.
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2007-04-09 09:07:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Spam (user info) at 2007-04-08 08:15:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by hidden101 (user info) at 2007-04-07 15:50:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i'm so tired of everyone begging me for money everywhere i go in Chicago. you can never escape it no matter where you go.
i'm going to open a bum survival training camp. i will teach the bums to live off the land and then send them off into the wilderness to live in harmony with nature and each other.
==
thats an awesome idea!
Submitted by Spam (user info) at 2007-04-08 08:13:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
If I could take back a moment it would be when I robbed an old lady of her bus fair while she was waiting in the queue.
Submitted by mynameisandy (user info) at 2007-04-08 08:10:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
I was on my way home from my girlfriend's a while back. I really needed a shit, and it was going to take me about an hour to get home. On the way to the bus stop, some foriegn guy asked me for a light. Not wanting to wait for him to light his cigarette in the wind, I gave him my spare box of matches and went on my way.
When I got on the bus, I tried to pay the £1.50 fare with the only money I had: a five pound note. The nazi of a driver said he wouldn't accept it. I tried pleading with him, but he wouldn't budge. Then I got a tap on the shoulder. It was Johnny Foriegner from earlier. He paid my fare for me, which was amazingly nice and saved me from shitting myself, but then he insisted on sitting next to me for the entire journey, which was amazingly awkward.
Submitted by Abbey (user info) at 2007-04-08 06:56:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Little things can mean a lot. Life lesson.
Submitted by Fatterrific (user info) at 2007-04-08 05:51:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by forthewin (user info) at 2007-04-07 19:53:20 PDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Fatterrific (user info) at 2007-04-07 21:12:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by forthewin (user info) at 2007-04-07 09:09:38 PDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You know the one guy that's always licking the floor of the bus? Usually wears a Yankees cap?
Well that's my grandfather, if you see him, tell him I said hi.
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Awesome.
_________________
I was serious...
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Serious or not, the comment remains awesome, and I stick to my opinion.
Submitted by forthewin (user info) at 2007-04-07 22:53:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Fatterrific (user info) at 2007-04-07 21:12:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by forthewin (user info) at 2007-04-07 09:09:38 PDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You know the one guy that's always licking the floor of the bus? Usually wears a Yankees cap?
Well that's my grandfather, if you see him, tell him I said hi.
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Awesome.
_________________
I was serious...
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2007-04-07 21:24:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2007-04-07 01:21:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
In the scheme of things I very much doubt you've even slightly smudged the shine on your karma.
Guilt of this sort is a wasted emotion.
Submitted by Fatterrific (user info) at 2007-04-07 21:12:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by forthewin (user info) at 2007-04-07 09:09:38 PDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You know the one guy that's always licking the floor of the bus? Usually wears a Yankees cap?
Well that's my grandfather, if you see him, tell him I said hi.
-------------------------
Awesome.
Submitted by MidnightToSix (user info) at 2007-04-07 17:01:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
She didn't have the dollar because of her pesky habit.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-04-07 16:47:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-04-07 16:03:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
You reached into your bag. There's nothing to regret.
Submitted by hidden101 (user info) at 2007-04-07 15:50:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i'm so tired of everyone begging me for money everywhere i go in Chicago. you can never escape it no matter where you go.
i'm going to open a bum survival training camp. i will teach the bums to live off the land and then send them off into the wilderness to live in harmony with nature and each other.
Submitted by Chroniclysm (user info) at 2007-04-07 15:40:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
But she got the dollar..
It's fine.
If she had gotten thrown off the bus, that would be one thing, but c'mon..
Submitted by Amontillado (user info) at 2007-04-07 14:59:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by bart (user info) at 2007-04-07 02:40:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm one of the dangerous ones that you avoid at all costs.
Submitted by forthewin (user info) at 2007-04-07 12:09:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You know the one guy that's always licking the floor of the bus? Usually wears a Yankees cap?
Well that's my grandfather, if you see him, tell him I said hi.
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2007-04-07 11:49:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
despite hesitation you started to the right thing to do. you are not a dipshit.
Submitted by Unabonger (user info) at 2007-04-07 11:39:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I think the real offense to humanity is your apparent absence of a 'shift' key.
But +2 cause you feel guilty about something most people wouldn't think of. I'd have given her a buck.
Submitted by The_Drake (user info) at 2007-04-07 11:26:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Fuck that...you can make a 20 minute phone call with 10-10-220 for only a buck.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2007-04-07 08:24:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
You sound like a cheap asshole but at least you have a conscience about it.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-04-07 04:16:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Don't know what to say, really.
Submitted by particle_man58 (user info) at 2007-04-07 04:14:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It doesn't make you a bad person, someone else just beat you to the punch. A lot of people wouldn't have given a second thought to her problem.
There's always someone around that needs a helping hand, just keep your eyes peeled and you'll get your chance to make a difference.
Submitted by Zebra (user info) at 2007-04-07 02:59:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Next time give out a dollar and you will feel good about things, and it only cost you a dollar.
Submitted by bart (user info) at 2007-04-07 02:40:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm one of the dangerous ones that you avoid at all costs.
Submitted by manic_impressive (user info) at 2007-04-07 02:34:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Dude your average person wouldve skullfucked the bitch then paid her 95 cents for her troubles.
The fact you even care makes you a saint.
Submitted by Trevor1st93 (user info) at 2007-04-07 01:31:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for not being a heartless bastard.
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2007-04-07 01:21:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
In the scheme of things I very much doubt you've even slightly smudged the shine on your karma.
Guilt of this sort is a wasted emotion.