George Harris had nearly finished his shift as a bus driver when the weather took a turn for the worse. Thick, heavy snowflakes began to fall from the sky, making the air feel like a thick soup. George slammed his hand against the steering wheel in frustration.
“Just what I needed today!” he muttered, his mood sinking further.
He pulled into a bus stop and watched the passengers shuffle onto the bus one by one, flashing their tickets and cards. But then, an elderly lady in a long dark overcoat stepped up to the door. George could see she was struggling to find her wallet.
This wasn’t good. George was already running behind, and every second counted. He had plans to meet his fiancée, Angelica, and her parents tonight.
“Good afternoon,” the older lady said with a kind smile. “I’m sorry, I seem to have misplaced my wallet.”
George sighed. “Great, here we go.”
The lady rummaged through her purse, pulling out random items—a hairbrush, a tiny umbrella, a makeup bag, and even a snack bar. George’s patience ran out.
“Lady, could you hurry up? I don’t have all day!” he snapped, annoyed.
“I’m so sorry,” the woman apologized, looking flustered. “I went to the city to buy my granddaughter an engagement gift and… oh no! My phone’s gone too!” Her face turned pale, and her eyes filled with embarrassment.
George wasn’t moved by her distress. He was tired and frustrated, and his tone turned even harsher. “I’ve heard enough sob stories. Either you pay or you get off the bus! You’re not riding without a ticket!”
“Please,” the woman begged quietly. “I’ve had surgery recently on my knee. I can’t walk far, and I took the bus because I can’t drive. Please, I just need to get home.”
But George wasn’t having any of it. “You should’ve thought of that before you tried to scam me!” he yelled. “GET OFF MY BUS!”
The woman, with tears in her eyes, slowly packed her things back into her purse and stepped off the bus. George watched her through the rearview mirror as she walked away. For a brief moment, he felt a twinge of guilt, but then he looked at the clock on his dashboard.
He was already late! He had to get going!
As George drove away, his thoughts shifted to Angelica. She was perfect—beautiful, intelligent, and way out of his league. How had a bus driver like him caught her attention?
But from the moment they met, George and Angelica had fallen in love. Of course, her wealthy parents weren’t thrilled about her relationship with a bus driver, but Angelica had stood up to them. Tonight was his first time meeting her parents, and he wanted to make a good impression. He had to hurry home, shower, and change into a smart suit.
A Shocking Reunion
About an hour later, George stood nervously in front of Angelica’s beautiful brownstone in Tribeca, adjusting his tie. He rang the doorbell, and moments later, Angelica’s cheerful voice echoed through the house.
“I’ll get it!” she called out. The door swung open, and there she was, her smile brightening the cold evening. George felt his heart skip a beat. She pulled him into a warm hug, her perfume enveloping him.
“Don’t worry,” she whispered in his ear. “I love you.”
Angelica led him inside, where a slender woman who resembled her stood up.
“You must be George!” the woman exclaimed. “I’m Meredith, Angie’s mother. My husband is a bit late—he had to pick up my mother-in-law from the city.”
“That’s fine, Mrs. Westerly,” George replied, trying to stay calm. “Your home is beautiful. Did you decorate it yourself?”
Meredith smiled brightly and began to show him around the room, talking about all the little trinkets they’d collected during their travels. But then George’s eyes froze on a framed photo on the mantel.
It was of the same elderly woman he had kicked off the bus earlier that day.
George gasped, his heart racing. “Who is that?”
Meredith waved a hand dismissively. “That’s my husband’s mother, Angie’s grandmother. She’s such a handful. Can you believe she lost her wallet today? Or maybe it was stolen? I don’t know, but she was so upset about it.”
George’s blood ran cold.
Just then, the front door creaked open, and a tall man walked in, his arm protectively around the shoulders of the elderly woman from the bus.
“Meredith,” he said, his voice worried, “please make some tea for my mother. She’s freezing.”
Angelica rushed over to the woman, her arms wrapping around her. “Gran Millie, you need to be more careful,” she said.
The old woman nodded, her face full of worry. “I am careful, Angie. But I think someone stole my wallet after I bought your gift. I had it at Bloomingdale’s, but it was gone when I got on the bus.”
Gran Millie shuddered. “And the bus driver… he was so cruel! He wouldn’t help me, wouldn’t listen. He just kicked me off in the snow.”
Then, her eyes locked onto George, and her face turned red with anger.
“You!” she cried. “What are you doing here?”
Angelica looked confused. “Gran, what do you mean? This is George. We’re having dinner with him.”
“I’m not senile, Angie!” Gran Millie snapped. “This is the driver who threw me out in the snow, called me a con artist!”
Angelica’s face drained of color as she turned to look at George. “You did that?” she asked, her voice trembling.
George tried to explain. “I didn’t know it was your grandmother… I was running late…” His words stuck in his throat. Angelica’s gaze was cold and distant.
Without another word, she pulled the engagement ring off her finger and handed it to him.
“Here,” she said, her voice breaking. “Take it back. I can’t marry someone like you.”
George fell to his knees, begging her to forgive him. But nothing he said could change her mind. Angelica stood there, her heart broken, as she watched him walk away from the woman he loved.
Outside, the snow had stopped, but George felt colder than ever. As he trudged away, he knew in his heart that he had lost her. He had been selfish, and now he was paying the price.
The Lessons
This story teaches us that kindness costs nothing, but cruelty can cost you everything. If George had been patient and kind, he might have been Angelica’s husband today.
We also learn that when someone genuinely asks for help, we should offer it. Gran Millie needed help, but George’s selfishness led to him losing the most important thing in his life.
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