Oh dear. I came all the way to the bus terminal? But I was only in the first grade! What was I going to do? I couldn't stop the tears I felt flooding out of my eyes.
"Little girl, what's wrong?" a wonderfully soft voice sounded.
In 1965, public buses used female bus conductors--we called them "Bus Girls"--this one looked like a lifesaver to me. My busstop was actually way back in Ojana, and child's fare was only 2 pennies, but for some reason, I could find only 1 penny in my purse. I panicked, froze, and stayed on the bus all the way to the end of the line. NOW WHAT? Between tears and hiccups, I told the bus girl (with softest voice) about my predicament.
"Come with me," she said; "my bus is going that way, and I'll tell you when to get off." I was so relieved.
Not only did she show me the way back, she refused to take my penny!
I suppose I could've pretended like I didn't need any help, like I could handle things on my own, but I don't like to think about what could've happened then. Sometimes I'm glad I lived when "Bus Girls" with protective instincts (and soft voices) were around.
