George Harris was finishing up his shift on a cold, snowy day when things went wrong. It wasn’t just a light snowfall, but thick, heavy flurries that made the roads slippery and the air thick. George slammed his hand on the steering wheel in frustration. “This is just perfect! Today of all days!” he muttered.
He pulled up to a bus stop, and people slowly shuffled onto the bus, flashing their passes. George watched as one by one, they boarded. Then, an elderly lady in a long, dark overcoat stepped forward, digging through her purse. George’s heart sank. He was already running late, and now it looked like this woman was going to hold him up.
“Good afternoon,” the elderly woman said with a warm smile, trying to sound polite. “I’m sorry, my wallet seems to have fallen to the bottom of my bag…” She continued to search through her things. George groaned in frustration.
“Lady, would you find that money already?” he snapped.
“I’m so sorry,” she stammered, her voice trembling with embarrassment. “I went into the city to get my granddaughter an engagement gift, and I think I must have dropped it… Oh, no! My phone is gone too!” She looked pale, tears welling up in her eyes.
George couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t in the mood for sob stories.
“I hear plenty of those!” he snapped back coldly. “You pay and you stay, or you get off the bus and walk home!”
The woman’s face crumpled with worry. “I swear, I’m telling you the truth! My wallet is gone, and I have no way to get home.”
George sneered. “Well, that’s a real pity. You’re not riding on my bus!”
“Please, son,” the older woman said quietly, her voice full of dignity. “I’ve had knee surgery recently. I can’t drive. That’s why I took the bus. And I won’t be able to walk all the way home.”
“You should’ve thought about that before you pulled this scam!” George yelled, becoming angrier. “GET OFF!”
With a defeated sigh, the woman put her belongings back into her bag and stepped off the bus. George watched her through the rearview mirror as she stood there, looking small and lost. For just a moment, he felt a tiny twinge of guilt, but he quickly brushed it aside. He was already late, and that was his priority.
As he drove away from the bus stop, he started thinking about his fiancée, Angelica. Angelica was everything George had ever dreamed of—smart, beautiful, and way out of his league. Most of his friends thought there was no way a woman like her would fall for a bus driver like him. But somehow, they had clicked from the first moment they met, and now they were planning to marry.
Her parents, however, weren’t thrilled about their daughter marrying a bus driver. Tonight, George was meeting the Westerly family for the first time, and he was determined to make a good impression. He had to make it back in time for a quick shower and to change into a suit.
About an hour later, George stood nervously in front of the fancy brownstone in Tribeca, adjusting his tie. He rang the doorbell, and soon heard Angelica’s cheerful voice from inside. “I’ll get it!”
The door swung open, and there she was. George was stunned for a moment, mesmerized by her beauty. Before he could speak, Angelica wrapped him in a warm hug, and the scent of her perfume surrounded him.
“Don’t be nervous,” she whispered in his ear, “I love you.”
George smiled, feeling a little more at ease as she led him inside. The room was beautifully decorated, and a slender woman who looked a lot like Angelica stood up from the couch to greet them.
“You must be George!” she said with a smile, though it was a bit stiff. “I’m Meredith, Angie’s mother. My husband is running a little late—he had to pick up my mother-in-law from the city.”
“That’s perfectly fine, Mrs. Westerly,” George said, trying his best to be polite. “Your home is lovely, did you decorate it yourself?”
Meredith’s face brightened, and she began giving George a tour of the room, talking about all the items they had collected from their travels.
But then, George’s eyes fell on a photo on the mantelpiece, and his heart skipped a beat. There, in a heavy silver frame, was a picture of the old woman he had kicked off the bus.
“Oh my God!” George gasped. “Who is that?”
Meredith waved a hand dismissively. “That’s my husband’s mother, Angie’s grandmother. She’s always causing trouble. Can you believe she actually lost her wallet today—or maybe someone stole it? She’s always losing things.”
A cold chill ran down George’s spine as he tried to stay calm. “Really?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Just then, the front door creaked open, and a tall man entered, with his arm protectively around the old woman George had thrown off the bus.
“Meredith,” the man called out, his voice full of concern, “Please, get some hot tea for my mother. The poor dear is freezing!”
Angelica rushed over to the old woman, embracing her. “Gran Millie,” she said, “You have to be more careful.”
The old woman shook her head. “I am careful,” she said softly, “But I think someone stole my wallet after I bought Angie’s gift. I had it at Bloomingdale’s, but it was gone by the time I got on the bus.”
Gran Millie shuddered as she continued. “The bus driver was so cruel! He wouldn’t listen, and he kicked me off the bus into the snowstorm. I swear, he called me a con artist!”
Then, as the old woman turned, her eyes locked on George. “You!” she cried. “What are you doing here? If some kind lady hadn’t let me use her cellphone, I’d still be standing out in the snow!”
Angelica looked confused. “Gran, what do you mean?” she asked. “This is George. Remember, we’re having dinner with him?”
“I’m not senile, Angie!” Gran Millie shot back, glaring at George. “This is the driver who kicked me off the bus and left me in the snowstorm!”
Angelica’s face drained of color. “You did this?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
George’s throat went dry. “Look, Angie,” he tried to explain, “I was late and didn’t know it was your grandmother…”
But the words felt hollow, and Angelica was staring at him as though she didn’t recognize him at all. Then, without warning, she pulled the engagement ring off her finger and held it out to him.
“Take it,” she said coldly. “I can’t marry you. I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
George was crushed. He fell to his knees, begging for her forgiveness. “Please, Angie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. Please forgive me.”
But Angelica’s eyes were empty, and no amount of pleading could change her mind. She turned away from him, and George was left standing there, heartbroken.
As he walked out of the Westerly’s grand home and into the snow, he knew he had lost the love of his life. He wasn’t good enough for her.
What can we learn from this story?
Kindness doesn’t cost a dime, but cruelty can cost you the love of your life. If George had been kind and patient, he could have been Angie’s husband.
Never ignore a genuine cry for help. Gran Millie was in distress, but George was too focused on his own problems to help. Now he had lost everything.
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