Does this make you sad, mad…. or just make you want to move to a little island somewhere?

I was on the bus the other afternoon going home. Now that school is back in, I share the bus with the local high school kids who happen to leave school the same time I leave work I guess. Most days, I plug in my headphones and try to ignore them as their conversations tend to be loud and obnoxious. I’ve been there and done that, I don’t need to relive it through these kids. And, they tend to keep to themselves with their drama (and trust me, who said what to whom can reach ear piercing drama), so they generally don’t bother me at all. However, the other day, at Billings Bridge, an OC Transpo security dude got on the bus, and a real cop boarded the bus. I of course had to eavesdrop because this is the kind of drama I need to know about.

Apparently, the day before, a bunch of high school kids got on the bus and proceeded to cause all kinds of mischief – including jumping on the rear door steps so the bus would be disabled and the driver couldn’t go anywhere. They were being too loud, too obnoxious, so the bus driver asked them to pipe down and settle down. Apparently, the kids went off on the bus driver, got in his face, told him to f-himself (re. my previous post, I do not approve of this kind of abuse of the f-word) and berated him, harassed him and pretty much made life miserable for all. These are 14, 15, 16 year olds. The driver was upset enough to contact his security people and get the police involved and wanted to have some kind of back up for when the kids boarded the bus. The driver is a NICE man, polite, does his job and he does not deserve to be treated this way, and this behaviour by these kids enrages me. It enrages me so much, I suspect if I had been on the bus that day, I would have stood up to these kids and told them to sit the fuck down (this is proper use of the f-word). And, it enrages me so much, I may have stalked one or two of these kids home and informed their folks of how their children treat other human beings.

I was a teenager. In many ways, I wasn’t a very good one, I get it. But, I would NEVER had treated someone, particularly an adult, in such a way. What are we teaching kids that makes them think they can speak to someone and affect an entire, standing room only bus, in such a way?

The kids didn’t get on the bus that day, so the security entourage was in vain. But it really saddens me that it came down to this, and that this bus driver was so shaken up.

I might add that my bus route goes through some pretty darn nice neighborhoods. This has nothing to do socio-economy. It has everything to do with some kids who need to be taught some respect.

I promise next post will be happy one. I have so much angst lately!