So I was on the bus this afternoon and these three guys–late teens or early twenties, wearing large hoodies and baggy jeans and reeking with attitude and entitlement–got onto the bus. The first two were halfway down the aisle when the driver called them back because they were collectively 16 cents short on their fare. They grumbled and kvetched at him, and he refused to let them ride the bus until they coughed up the 16 cents. One said he didn’t have change, and the driver asked why, knowing they would need change for the bus, they hadn’t gone into one of three banks within a block. A valid point, but it pissed them off.

It seems like a minor amount of change, but the bus driver explained to the guys that drivers can’t give free rides or reduce fares; the bus system is so hurting for money that they’re laying off 55 drivers in June. At this point, the driver himself–who was pleasant and chipper throughout the rest of the trip–probably doesn’t know whether he’ll have a job after June. So it wasn’t about the 16 cents.

The other thing was this: The guys had tossed change at the meter and then charged down the aisle without making sure they had enough. They sulked and were nasty when asked to pay up. I’ve been short on change a few times and drivers have been very gracious to me, but I don’t try to get away with anything. I don’t expect them to automatically let me onto the bus if I don’t have enough cash. I’m pleasant and polite and I don’t act like an entitled cretin. I bet these guys’ attitude was salt in the wound for the bus driver.

Finally one of the guys handed over a dollar bill to make up for the missing money. “At least I’m not a f*&%ing bus driver!” he snarked as he followed his friends to the back of the bus. “The reason they’re laying off bus drivers is because they’re so RUDE!” And on and on.

Looking at him, I thought, I’d rather be a bus driver than you, a short, pimply guy whose personality is obviously as ugly as his mug.

I wanted to say something kind to the bus driver when I got off, but he was so distracted that he nearly missed my stop–someone else had to holler to get his attention–so it was a bit frenetic. But I walked home feeling really bad for the driver and miffed at the guys. They were in the wrong, after all, and they ruined this nice man’s afternoon for no good reason.