I had no idea that an impolite stranger would get three strikes in retaliation for stealing my bus seat. I pondered if my last act of retaliation would be too much for him to handle or the ideal lesson for him to learn as I saw his day fall apart.
Up until I got on that bus, I was having a fairly nice day. People were jostling one other to board the stop first. After assisting Mrs. Chen with her suitcase, I dropped my bag to save it and managed to find a seat.
She patted my arm and murmured, “Thank you, dear.” “These old bones aren’t what they used to be.”
I turned back to my seat with a smile on my face, only to discover a jerk in a suit sitting there with my luggage thrown on the ground.
I apologized, attempting to maintain my composure. “That’s my seat.”
Seldom did the man take his eyes from his phone. “It doesn’t matter. The order of arrival is first served.”
But here was my bag. I was merely assisting someone.
“Look, lady,” he said abruptly as he finally looked me in the eye. “I’m not going anywhere. Pick up your bag and move to a different seat.
Furious as I was, making a disturbance wouldn’t help. With a silent mumble, I grabbed my luggage and marched toward the center of the bus. I smiled sympathetically at a young mother I saw trudging along with a fussy infant.
As the bus staggered ahead, I clutched a pole to maintain my balance. That is then I heard it, that distinct wail of a newborn on high alert. The smug entitled jerk’s shoulders gave me a sneaking grin.
He pivoted and gave the young mother a fierce look. “Can’t you shut that kid up?”
The woman seems embarrassed. I apologize; he’s just teething. I’m doing my hardest.
“Well, you’re not doing your best,” he angrily said.
I was done. “Hey, buddy,” I said. “How about you keep your mouth shut? She’s making an effort.”
He gave me a shady glance before turning around. Looking directly into the mother’s eyes, I said, “You’re doing great.” She nodded appreciatively at me.
A senior citizen seated close by inclined his head towards me. “My sweetheart, don’t allow him get to you. Some individuals simply wake up on the incorrect side of the bed.”
I laughed. “More like the wrong side of life.”
That infant was like a tiny, cute tool of karma for the next thirty minutes. The small guy would wail loudly every time the jerk began to nod off. The true kicker, though? He literally began to kick.
thumps all the way up.
Jerk-face’s seat was working out from the rear. I bit my lip to contain my laughter.
He growled to the mother, “For the love of— can you control your child?”
She appeared on the verge of tears. “I apologize; he’s simply agitated. The journey is quite lengthy.
I was unable to resist. “Hey, if you’d let me have my seat back, you wouldn’t be dealing with this.”
I believe I saw the quiver in his eye, but he ignored me.
Adolescents seated across from me giggled. “Dude’s gonna blow a gasket.”
I smiled. “Serves him right.”
A few drops of rain spattered the panes at that same moment. Reaching for the roof hatch above his head, the thug got to his feet. Fantastic, just what we require! Rain!”
With a loud CRACK, he pulled on the hatch. His countenance turned pallid. “Uh oh.”
Water started to fall steadily, right onto his head. The hatch was jammed shut despite his best efforts to close it. A tiny “plop” sounded every few seconds as a fresh trickle fell on his head.
“Having some trouble there?” I gave a beautiful little call.
Water flying from his woolen beanie, he spun around. “Cease talking! I know it’s all your fault, somehow!”
I simply held out my hands. I’m far down here, hey. Perhaps it’s simply karma?”
The mother, who had at last found some peace, laughed. The idiot gave her a nasty look and then sank back into his seat, batting at the water droplets like they were flies every now and then.
Sitting close by, a middle-aged woman whispered to me, “I’ve never seen anything like this. It appears as though the cosmos is imparting wisdom to him.”
I nodded while attempting to maintain my composure. “Three strikes and you’re out, right?”
I had a terrible thought as we got closer to our goal. I took out a bundle of cash from my wallet, mostly ones with a few twentys on top to make it appear good. I tucked it under the seat nearest to where I was standing in silence.
“Oh my gosh,” I bowed down and exclaimed. “Look what I just found!”
The bus fell silent throughout. I refused to take the money. Has anyone misplaced this? It was underneath this chair.
I thought the guy would get whiplash when his head snapped up so quickly. His huge eyes were focused on the money I was holding.
Leaping up, he said, “That’s mine!” “Earlier, I was sitting there! I must have let it slide.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Oh my goodness? I doubt that for some reason. Can you provide evidence for it? Has anyone noticed the man occupying this seat over here?” I gave a loud shout and gestured to the location where I had hidden the money.
To my delight, our fellow passengers let out a chorus of “nos”.
The man’s face took on an intriguing purple hue. He said, “Give me my money, you thief!”
He made a sudden move, attempting to seize the money. But karma had not yet finished with him. His shoe got tangled in someone’s luggage, causing him to fall face-first into the aisle.
Everyone gasped at once, and then there was quiet. The jerk grabbed his arm and slowly lifted himself up. “It’s your fault,” he growled at me. “I’ll sue!”
My laughing would not contain itself any longer. “For what reason are you suing me? locating my own funds?”
His mouth fell open. “What?”
I spread out the bills to demonstrate that the majority were ones. “That’s my cash. I was trying to teach you about assumptions and karma. Hopefully the next time you won’t be so nasty to a mother and her child that you take someone else’s seat.”
The whole bus burst into cheers. The jerk slunk back to his soaking seat, his face a mixture of humiliation and wrath.
The adolescent from before praised me. “Wow, that was amazing! You completely controlled him!”
I attempted to look indifferent as I shrugged, but on the inside, I was dancing a victory dance.
I looked at the mother holding the infant as we drove into the station. “It was incredible,” she exclaimed. “Thank you for standing up to him.”
I grinned. “Don’t all of us bus passengers have to stand together? Plus, your tiny kid completed the most of the labor.”
She giggled and bounced the now-slumbering infant. “Normally, he’s like an angel. I suppose he simply realized that man required a lesson.”
The old man that had talked to me earlier laughed. “I’ve taken buses for many years, but I’ve never witnessed justice done quite like that. Excellent work, young woman.”
In his hurry to leave, the thug shoved past everyone as we all filed off the bus. I had a great sense of satisfaction as I watched him storm off, still soaking.
It’s interesting how karma works, I thought to myself. “And sometimes, it rides the bus.”
When I turned to leave the bus stop, I saw the young mother fumbling with the baby and her baggage. I ran to get to her.
I said, “Need a hand?”
She appeared relieved. Would you, oh? That would be fantastic.
She identified herself as Lisa and her infant son as Sam as we strolled together.
“Hi, my name is Carla.” “Where are you headed?”
With a “just to my sister’s place,” Lisa answered. “It’s located a few blocks away. I hope I’m not interfering with your path.”
I dismissed her worries. “Not at all. I could use a good stroll after that bus ride.”
We laughed over the bus event and talked while we strolled. I came to a complete halt when we rounded a corner. The bus jerk sat there, looking uncomfortable as he tried to pat himself dry with paper napkins, at a neighboring café.
Lisa met my eyes with a strangled giggle. “Should we say hello?”
I gave myself a cheeky smile. “What do you know? I believe we ought to.”
As we got closer to his table, I cleared my throat. “Fancy seeing you here.”
His head jerked up in shame. “You! Are you not doing enough?
I calmly raised my hands. “I really came over to say I was sorry.” The financial aspect seemed excessive.”
It seems that my admission surprised him. “Oh. Well, I guess I wasn’t exactly acting appropriately either.”
Lisa moved forward and gave Sam a little bounce. Everybody has bad days. Could we perhaps start over?”
The man stared at the infant, and his expression softened. “He is kind of cute when he’s not screaming.”
We all chuckled as the tension dissolved. “Hey, what’s your name?” the man exclaimed as Lisa and I turned to go.
“Carla,” I answered.
He gave a nod. “My name is Victor. In addition, I apologize for the seat issue.”
I grinned. Victor, there’s water under the bridge. Shall I say, “Water through the ceiling,” instead?”
After laughing amiably at my humor, we said our goodbyes. I couldn’t help but feel that perhaps, just possibly, karma had had its way with all of us today as Lisa and I strolled on.
How would you have responded in that situation? Here’s another story about a wealthy man who starts complaining to the flight attendant about being seated next to an overweight woman in first class because he finds it annoying. I hope you enjoy it.