The girl of the train 🚅
It costs very little to help
🏷️ Categories: Life lessons, Personal stories
Small actions make big changes.
Last Friday, the bus station was packed with people. I was standing in line at the ticket office to buy my ticket while anxiously looking at the clock. Time was running out and my bus was about to leave. The line was moving slowly and clockwise at the speed of light.
The bus was about to leave and I couldn't buy my ticket.
I tried the desperate solution.
I left the line and ran to the bus to talk to the driver. Breathing heavily, I explained the situation and asked if he could sell me the ticket directly on the bus, which was possible. However, his answer was a curt "no." I told him that I had free seats and that he could sell me the ticket.
His answer was a resounding "no" and he sent me back to the line.
Why didn't he do me the simple favor of selling me the ticket himself...?
Discouraged and somewhat angry, I returned to the queue and watched my bus pull away from the station. I resigned myself to waiting for the next bus and then queuing from the beginning again… After a long wait, it was soon my turn, and there was only one girl in front of me. The girl was about 18 years old at the most, carrying a bulky backpack. She wore glasses and had brown, somewhat curly hair.
She was also having problems and was in a hurry, just like me.
I listened to her as she spoke to the ticket seller. Apparently the girl had bought a digital ticket with her mobile phone, but since she was not from here, she had gone to the wrong destination and needed to cancel it. The app did not allow free cancellations at the last minute, so she asked the seller if he could change the ticket without having to pay for it again.
Unfortunately, that was impossible, the seller lamented.
She had to pay for another ticket: 2.71€.
Her face turned pale as she realised she did not have enough money to pay. I had to take the bus early to the train station and then take a train I had already paid for back to Zaragoza (Spain). I couldn't wait for a relative to come and pay for her ticket, I would miss the train to Zaragoza as well.
She got extremely nervous.
Without thinking twice, I paid for her ticket.
The gratitude in her eyes was unmistakable, she repeatedly thanked me for my selfless gesture. Thanks to my small gesture, she would be able to return to Zaragoza.
After all this setback, the girl left and I finally managed to take the next bus. I sat down and looked out the window at the kilometer-long queue that was still at the ticket office. I knew that more than one person would miss the bus because of the long queues, just like I did.
My prediction was correct.
On my bus I saw a woman in the same situation I had been in before. She approached the driver and told him that she didn't have time to buy the ticket at the ticket office, but to my surprise, this driver did sell her the ticket.
Is this true? Why did they leave me stranded before?
This contrast made me think.
There are empathetic people who understand your situation and know that a small gesture can help you enormously, other people ignore you.
I looked on the bright side, thanks to the driver's lack of consideration that made me miss the bus, I was able to help the girl get back to Zaragoza. This other woman who got on my bus was luckier than me, the driver was more considerate.
If you can, never hesitate to help others.
Make good deeds abound throughout the world.
✍️ Your turn: Do you remember any similar gesture of solidarity that you have done or received? I got home late, but I came back happy to have helped.
💭 Quote of the day: ″Do not refuse help when it is needed and do not refuse to accept it when it is offered.” Lloyd Alexander, The Book of Three.
Thanks for being there 😊, see you soon!
That's a great quote and how I try to live. Thanks for your writing!