An Irony: “Not in Service”

Bus in MotionIt is often the small acts of kindness that stand out.

Tuesday night I was heading home late.  I knew the next bus was not for nearly 30 minutes and the walk home was only 15-20 minutes.

After walking the first 5 minutes I began to realize how tired I was and I came to another bus stop on my way home and decided to double check the printed timetable.

As I stood reading the bus timetable a bus came along the road with its “Not in Service” sign on.  Despite the sign the bus pulled up alongside the stop.  The door swooshed open and a young woman hopped off.

The driver leaned across smiled and said, “Jump in!” He asked, “Where are you going?” I answered and he said, “I still have to get to the depot.”

I went to swipe my card “Don’t worry about that!” he intervened.

As we drove along he spoke highly of the Uni students he met on the route he drives and how polite everyone is. The worst problem he ever had was sometimes they were a bit noisy when they are heading out, “but we were all young once weren’t we”.

As I hopped off a couple of minutes up the road and watched the bus receding into the night with its “Not in Service” sign emblazoned across the back it struck me just how ironic the sign was – not in service? the best bus service in Brisbane by a mile. Thanks!

When have you experience a moment of kindness or random service you were not expecting? When have you gone the extra mile?