Misery Loves Company

When my mother and I arrived at the local bus terminus, there was a man and a woman, presumably a couple, already waiting at the stop. A bus was parked nearby with its doors shut.

After we said hello to the couple the woman said "She won't let us on," referring to the bus driver.

"Some drivers are really good and will let passengers on while they're waiting for time," my mother said.

"Not this driver, she's got a bad attitude."

"Oh?" mum said.

"It's so cold out here and we've been waiting for about 15 minutes and she's busy yapping on her mobile. "

"She could at least have let you two sit inside," mum said.

"If it was another driver, he would have let us on but this one never lets anyone on her bus. A lot of people have a problem with her."

While the woman and my mother were chatting, the man remained silent. I could see my mother was so buying into the woman's point of view she was getting upset. As my mother and I were on the way to the hospital for a minor operation she was having done, the last thing she needed was to get upset over nothing. It was time for me to intervene. I reached over and hugged the woman's shoulder.

"Calm down, dear!" I said, "it's only a bus journey." *

"I see you are not letting any of this get to you then," she chuckled."

"I don't see any point," I said. "Another bus driver told me someone once allowed a passenger to wait on board. The passenger tripped and fell and sued the bus company. So some drivers are very wary about letting on passengers."

"That's terrible!" mum said. "Passengers like that give everyone a bad name. Maybe, that's why this driver doesn't want to let passengers on."

"Well, this one has been keeping us waiting for ages," the woman said. "I'm not going to thank her when I get off her bus."

"Me neither," mum said.

"I actually travelled on her bus yesterday and she was very nice. She's always nice to me. When I get off her bus I'm going to thank her."

"You are such a spoilsport," the woman groaned.

I grinned at her.

"It's good to have a moan, right?" she grinned back.

When the bus approached I said hello to the driver and she smiled at me. When we were getting off I thanked the driver.

I don't mind people having a moan. I have had moments when I've had a good moan and had a good laugh about it. I'm also aware that serious moaning gives rise to Misery. The more you moan the more power Misery has to pull others down with her. As they say, "Misery loves company."

Nothing can dull my shine.

Enocia

* "Calm down, dear" was inspired from a catchphrase the film producer and director Michael Winner has used in an insurance TV advert which goes: "Calm down, dear, it's only a commercial."

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