Thank you Bus Driver

Today I got on one of the crowded buses...around 5pm. I was sitting with Kenzie on my lap next to a quiet man who had his backpack on and was wearing sunglasses, I figured he was sleeping but noticed every now and then he'd kind of 'huff' sort of like a cough but not as strong (he was not old) and eventually, once we got close to the last stop he talked to me, very quietly and kind of strained asking if he could use my phone, he told me his chest hurt and he needed to go to the hospital. I believed him but really didn't see the value in me calling from a moving bus to get help for a man, and so I encouraged him to go to the front of the bus and talk to the bus driver. I second guessed my decision not to help myself and vowed that if he didn't get help and got off at the last stop I'd try to help him find a phone...but honestly with me having a toddler in my lap and a cold I really don't think I would have been much help.

I was so happy when the bus stayed at that stop...I knew the bus driver listened and was getting help for the man. When people around me in the back of the bus were trying to figure out what was going on and getting impatient I told them what I knew, which was that the bus driver was doing what he could to help a man who was feeling very very sick.

Eventually most of the people got off of the bus to walk home (we were within about 7 blocks of the last stop) and eventually I did the same. I told the bus driver that I'd been sitting by the man and thanked him for listening to him and taking the time to get proper help for him. It felt really good to be explaining to Kenzie that the bus stopped because the man sitting next to us really didn't feel good and that the bus driver was waiting for people to come and make sure he was okay.

When we were about a block away, a big fire truck came and the bus was able continue on it's route and soon after I heard an ambulance too.

I'm glad I saw the bus driver coming around returning from the final stop so I could see the bus number and write up a 'commendation' (who picked those words?) and I really hope he sees it and feels good about what he did. It would have been terrible had he not listened to the man.

I hope he (the man on the bus) feels better too.