(I’m tired and it’s really late. I take the train home, only to hear that there’s a problem on my normal route and I’ll have take a different one. At this point I’m not in the best of moods, only made worse when I have to switch trains at a station I’m unfamiliar with and have trouble finding out where to go. The end result is that I rush down the stairs to the correct platform, just as the train has closed its doors and starts to leave. Due to the station layout I’m standing at the front of the train and can see the driver. To my utter surprise he seems to spot me as well, hits the brakes, and throws open the door to his cab.)

Driver: “You need to go to [Station]?”

Me: “Umm, yes. Yes, I do!”

Driver: “All right! Quickly, then! Come right this way!”

(He then allowed me to step into the cab and move to the body of the train from there. He saved me from having to wait in the cold, late at night, and seriously made my entire day. I gleefully tell people about the day someone stopped a train for me. I never did dare to send some sort of praise towards the train company, as I fear what he did was not officially allowed, but train driver, if you’re out there, thank you so much!)

(While getting on the bus, two elderly but fit ladies push themselves through while commenting on today’s youth not giving way and how things were different when they were young. Still commenting, they push an elderly and disabled lady aside to take the seat she was heading for. Luckily, one of those “ill mannered” youth gave up her place.)

Me: “I know what is wrong with the youth of today.”

Old Lady: *seeing I’m younger although no longer on of the ‘youth’* “Oh, yes?”

Me: “Yes. In my time, my grandparents taught me about respect by example.”

(The old lady huffed and puffed but the disabled one that was pushed aside earlier snickered and smiled at me.)

(I am a passenger travelling on the train when the conductor comes down to check tickets. A passenger in front of me purchases a ticket to the next stop. The train carries on and finally arrives at the next stop of the journey and the conductor notices the passenger is still on board with no intention of moving so approaches the passenger.)

Conductor: “This is your stop.”

Passenger: “No, it’s not.”

Conductor: “You asked for a ticket to the next stop. This is it.”

Passenger: “Well I meant [station several stops away].”

Conductor: “Okay, that’ll be [price].”

Passenger: “Nah, mate.”

Conductor: “You either buy a ticket or get off the train.”

Passenger: “You think I’m soft? I travel this train all the time and never buy a ticket.”

Conductor: “Well, with that information you can either get off this train now or wait here for the police to show up, delaying all of these other passengers.”

(The passenger refuses and the back and forth goes on for a while with customers getting agitated at the passenger. After a few minutes, the conductor goes to the back on the train and makes an announcement.)

Conductor: *over announcement system* “Apologies for the delay of this service. This is due to a lowlife passenger attempting to travel on this service without a valid ticket, who apparently thinks you’re all mugs for buying one.”

(With this, the train erupted into laughter and the passenger quickly got up and ran off the train, avoiding eye contact with everyone. The train then left the station only a few minutes later than planned.)

(I’m an art student, heading back home on a long train journey. I’d been drawing in my sketchbook for the past 30 minutes, when a stranger sits down besides me.)

Stranger: *nudging me* “Wow, that’s a really great drawing!”

Me: *shocked at being nudged* “O-oh, thank you!”

(Being dedicated to finishing off my drawing, I continued, whilst the kind stranger carried on watching. A few stops later…)

Stranger: “Well I’ll be heading off now. Keep up the great work!”

(She drops something onto the table.)

Me: “Wai- What’s this?”

Stranger: “Try out this, I think this would work well for you.” *leaves*

(As it turned out, the stranger was a fellow artist. The item she dropped/gave was a Promarker, which is a really good illustration item that costs quite a bit. I’m really glad she gave it; it has served me well. Thank you, kind stranger!)

(I commute on the trains everyday. I often notice a homeless man begging at one of the train stations. One very busy day I see a lady hand the homeless man a sandwich bought in the train station shop. He thanks her as she leaves, then opens the package to see what is in it and shouts:)

Homeless Man: “What?! No f***** butter?!”