Back to the Routine

After 10 wonderful days off over the holiday. I'm back to the every day grind and work routine. I had all the holidays off this year. First time in 10 years. For a bus driver, that is quite something to get all the holidays off. If you are one you know what I mean. Probably won't happen for another 10 years. Actually, I've been quite fortunate, in that I have only worked one Christmas day in 10 years. I was talking to my union steward today and told him that and he looked rather shocked. I don't think he has been able to pull that off himself. Somebody somewhere must like me. It was a good holiday and ended with a really good party at Gregor and Nancy's. Then Chad's birthday party on Jan 1st/08. What a great way to end and start a year, celebrating with good friends and family. I am blessed. God is good.

First day back and I'm running 8 minutes behind schedule on my route. I'm in a hurry and I get Mr. bottle man at Windermere and The Queensway. This is an old crippled man who collects beer bottles for some extra cash. He can hardly walk and he is carting around twice his body weight in beer bottles. $.10/ bottle he gets, and he must have had 150 bottles. That's $15 by my math. Probably took him 10 hours to pick them up and deliver to the beer store, minus transportation cost of $3.70 round trip. That would be around $1.13/ hour I figure. When I saw him with his shopping cart full of bottles, I could feel this anger rising up inside me, cause this was not going to be quick process. He was going to bury me in lateness. I didn't need this right now, thank you very much. I was tempted to do what many drivers would do and shut my doors and drive away trying to catch up my lost time. The supervisors love you when you do that. But something wouldn't let me. I wonder what that would be? I waited. Suddenly, this peace came over me and this inner sense of wonderment at the struggle of this old man trying to make some cash the only way he knew how. Then another wave of wonderment brought a sense that I should be kind to this man and be patient. Fortunately, there was somebody else getting on the bus who noticed his struggle and helped him with his bags full of bottles. There are still kind people in the world. He thanked me profusely for waiting, as though he had experienced the shut door and take off routine before. He talked with very broken English, but I could tell he was happy to get out of the cold (-12c) and that he was proud of the treasure he was soon to exchange for cold hard cash. A job well done. A good kind of pride. I came to his stop in front of the beer store and was prepared to secure the bus and help him off myself, partly because it would be faster and partly because I was slowly gaining some respect and admiration at his determination and resolve to work for a living, despite his obvious disability. I've met many immigrants that come to this country thinking it is the land of milk and honey, only to discover that not speaking the language and no skills gets you no job and no money. Many of them live on the transit system, just to keep warm this time of year. Again someone else got off at the same stop, saw his dilemma and helped him off with his precious cargo. I didn't have to lift a finger. I thought God made me strong so I could help people like this? I also caught up on my time at the end of the line. Guess who I picked up on the way back? Yup, Mr. Bottle man, minus the bottles. He greets me getting on the bus with the biggest smile and enthusiasm I have seen in a long time, " HI DRIVER!!". He was happy to see me and obviously still thank full I waited. You know what? So was I. I am so glad I didn't act on my first impulse. I could have ruined a God moment with my words and my actions and possibly crushed someones spirit in the process. Thank you God for that moment and for Mr. Bottle man. He kind of reminded me of the widow's mite. He did more in a days work than I think I ever have. He was truly blessed because he was faithful in the small things and was using the gifts God gave him, and he didn't even need my help!
I learned my lesson of humility today. I was humbled. God is good.

Mathew 10:29-31

" Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."