Bitter Coincidence on 7 Wheels

The conductor slowly inched his way to the back of the bus , taking the fares as he did. And as he came nearer and nearer to where I stood, I became uncomfortable, wishing that he would just go away. But as he came at arm's length he stared at me, with the gaze resembling that of a man who goes around asking bus fares. I would have humored him though, if it were not for the fact that I was literally stuck in what seems to be a dozen reasonably large and unreasonably sweaty men, each struggling to hold tight in the bus as it rumbled about in the road. Is he friggin' crazy? I asked myself. And just how the hell am I going to get my wallet outta this mess?

But then again, I realized that it was my idea in the first place to ride an overcrowded bus which is running with one blown tire in the middle of the countryside at 9 in the evening.

And so, with despair and through somewhat remarkable contortion skills, I got my wallet out of my pocket and handed my fare.