(I am standing at a bus stop in downtown. It’s about 11 pm, and I am reading a book. The only other people at the stop are an enormous African American (Man #1) and a thin, Hispanic man in baggy clothing (Man #2).)

Man #2: “Hey, hot mama, your butt looks fine in those jeans.”

Me: “Excuse me? Please keep your comments to yourself. I am not interested in hearing them.”

Man #2: “What the f*** is wrong with you, b***? I just paid you a compliment!”

Me: *feeling flustered and unsafe* “No, you, a total stranger, just commented on my body unsolicited in the middle of the night. I am feeling very uncomfortable right now, please stop talking to me.”

Man #2: “Someone needs to lay your a** down and show you what for, you stupid w****!”

(He then launches into expletives and starts acting enraged. I am feeling extremely unsafe now, so I am getting ready to bolt to another stop, when I hear Man #1 right behind me.)

Man #1: “Dude, shut the f*** up. P*** off and go ask your momma to teach you some real manners, or I will personally remove all of your teeth. Did no one ever teach you how to treat people?”

(Man #1 is looming behind me, and Man #2 flips him off after slinging a racial slur. Man #1 steps towards him and Man #2 takes off running, holding his pants up with one hand.)

Me: “Oh, thank you!”

Man #1: “My pleasure. I can’t believe dudes like that still exist. I’m very sorry. Have a nice night.”

(He then went back to his seat. I paid for his ticket when the bus came.)

(I am about eight years old. I am in the bus with my six-year-old sister, and there is only one empty seat left.)

Me: “Go on, sit down. I’ll stand.”

Sister: “But I don’t want to. I don’t like sitting next to people I don’t know.”

Me: “Come on, all people are friendly! Except those who aren’t, of course.”

(Everyone within earshot bursts into laughter.)

(I’m getting onto the bus with my seven-year-old son. He gets on ahead of me and puts his fare into the machine.)

My Son: *to the driver* “Thank you! May I have a transfer, please?” *gets transfer* “Thank you!”

(My son goes off to find his seat. As I start to put my fare in, and the driver stops me and hands me a transfer.)

Me: “Are you sure?”

Bus Driver: “Yes. Your son is very polite, so thank you!”

(I kept note of the driver’s name and bus number so I could compliment him to the company on excellent customer service!)

(I’m headed into the centre of town to meet a friend. As I’m below the legal driving age, I have to catch a bus. I’m about to get on the bus when I realise that I only have notes, so I can’t pay my bus fare. Note that I live a few metres away from the stop.)

Me: *to the driver* “Um, sorry, but is it okay if you wait a moment while I get my fare? I just realised that I only have notes. Actually, I’ll just wait for the next bus.”

Driver: “Where are you going?”

Me: “Into town.”

Driver: “Get on.”

Me: “But I don’t have—”

Driver: “Just get on!”

(I do, thanking him profusely as I do. The journey passes quickly and we get into town. As I’m getting off the bus, I speak again to the driver.)

Me: “Thank you so much, sir! I’ll pay double fare on the way back.”

Driver: “No, don’t bother. You win some, you lose some. Losing one fare won’t hurt the company. Have a nice day!”

(I am walking home after work during a rather unpleasant snow storm. Not expecting a snowstorm today, I am wearing a t-shirt and shorts. About 10 minutes into my 40 minute walk, a ‘not in service’ public bus pulls up and stops next to me.)

Driver: “Hey! Where are you headed?”

(I tell him the street I live on.)

Driver: “Not that far from out of my way. Hop on!”

Me: “Really? Thanks!”

(The bus driver then proceeded to drive right to my street and let me off, telling me to ‘keep warm’! People like him are awesome.)