Eric and I were driving out of town to visit his grandmother. My son is already five years old, but he does not look his age. Everyone considers him a first-grader. And we as a family already treat him as an adult.
So we pay for his place in the bus, because he is independent, and in general, he is just too big and heavy to hold in his arms. Both he and I feel uncomfortable, and the one who will sit opposite us will definitely get dirty on his shoes. In general, it is more convenient for everyone if Eric sits in a separate place.
So this time Eric sat near the window, and I sat next to him. We chose seats in the front to make it easier to get out: we will be the first to get out of the bus. I warned the driver that I paid for the boy’s seat (so that he would remember that the seat was taken). We are going, so we have already left the city. And on the highway, the minibus is stopped by a woman. There were definitely still seats in the bus (in the back) and the driver was slowing down.
When this lady stepped (I can’t find another word) into the minibus, the whole car shook, and the passengers were quiet, watching her climb into the cabin. When she finally got in, the driver could be heard sighing heavily. When he started to pull into the lane, the aunt began to make her way closer to the seats.
– Woman, put your son on your lap, – this fat lady said to me.
I replied that the seat was paid for and I was not going to take him on my lap. Then the driver joined in and said that there were free seats further in the cabin. Аunt almost shouted that she must be given a seat, as it is easier for us to go to another part of the cabin and in general – she always rides this bus and sits near the window.
I did not move from my seat, and meanwhile the car was gaining speed and on the turns my aunt was carried around the cabin, because she was still standing above me and Eric, not wanting to go deeper into the cabin. I was already beginning to boil, but I did not want to swear in front of the child. I turned away from her and started talking to my son.
The aunt got angry with my behavior and started to scream:
– Give me a place, take him on your lap, is it hard for you?!
I calmly replied that yes, it is hard. He is already big and so I paid him a separate seat. And so we sat down before you, we took the seats we wanted. The driver was busy on the road, and it seemed that he was annoyed by this woman not for the first time. The rest of the passengers at first silently ignored the situation. Someone was listening to music and did not know what was happening, and someone was dozing. But slowly a confrontation began to sound in the cabin: “Woman, there is a free seat here, go sit down and calm down.” “Stop shouting, this is a public place”. To all this, the obese lady, breathing heavily, replied that she could not, because it was difficult for her with such size. Although it was clear that she just went on principle, she needed our seat by the window.
A real fight started in the cabin. But then the following happened: the driver stopped the bus, walked around the car, opened the door and first took out the aunt’s bags, and then put out his hand and forced her out of the bus. The dumbfounded woman did not have time to recover before the bus driver started the car and drove off to the highway. There was a deathly silence in the cabin. Behind me, someone was quietly pushing. People from the back rows decided to give the driver money for that aunt, I also added some money to the full amount. When we got off, I gave the money to the driver; his eyes shone and he told me he would never pick her up again. Every time he makes a scandal!
