Not quite getting it

So I have been riding the muggle wagon to and from work and am actually starting to enjoy the benefits. Not paying for gas, I mean petrol, and to fork out for a parking permit is great. The real benefit is getting exercise in the morning as it is a 45 minute walk to the bus stop. It's not all fun and games as there are some bits that don't have paths, but I figure walking 5 miles a day has to be good for me... I have even lost weight! Well, just a little.

There is a down side to taking the bus. Two words... “Exact change”.
Since now I have been good at looking out for the $1 bills.

I gently strolled over to the stop after work, opened my wallet… and hey presto… empty. Knowing this was the last bus of the day I soon had the feeling of panic rush over me.

I knew that the bus does a loop around ten blocks so I ran past the bus stop in the 29oC heat, lugging my massive laptop bag and a plastic bag with an empty lunch box flapping around, banging on my knee on every alternate step.

I made it to the ATM (cash point). The card readers are slightly different here. You kind of pull the card in then out really quick. I slid my card in and out waited... Nothing.... I try it again and I get "transaction canceled".

Come on, come on. I try again and again. It gave me the "fast cash" option… ironically on the 4th attempt.

I then run 2 blocks in a different direction to get a bag of crisps to break the $20. At this point I have a big beetroot face.

I then run 4 blocks north to get to the next bus stop on the loop.

Made it... Phew! I can even see my bus as a dot on the horizon.

"HEY BUDDY!" - this tattooed guy with two missing front teeth and a scrawny looking stubble, shouts running at me with a "I'm gonna hunt you down" type look.

"er yes" I say in a 'happy to help, please don't kill me' type way.

"I must have been chasing you for 3 blocks. Man you run fast. Didn't you hear me shout? You dropped you wallet!"

"oh thank you" I say, knowing what a pain in the arse it would have been if I did lose it.

"no problem"

"can I have it?" said holding out my hand.

"oh I don't have it - a lady saw you drop it, 2 blocks that way."

"well I was running for that bus, can you run fast to show me this lady? Sorry to do this to you but that is the last bus of the day, so we need to run." - it really didn't matter how positive I wanted to sound to get this guy moving, it is really difficult to motive a toothless guy that looks like he is about to spit blood.

We finally found the lady holding my wallet. She looked like hyacinth bucket (bouquet) from keeping you appearances. I didn't have time to explain, so I took a quick glance in the wallet to check for my cards and then gave her a peck in the cheek to say thanks. It was a split second thing where I thought "Well I am European. "

I ran back to the bus stop. At this point I became aware of a little crowd commentating from the second level of a multistory car park, who had witnessed the whole thing. When the doors of the bus opened a cheer came from above.

I got on the bus and nearly passed out from the running. I told the bus driver I nearly didn't make it.

I found out from my previous journeys that the bus driver is a Brit who lived in Aylesbury called Mick. He married an American and has lived here since 1985. He used to be the sound engineer for Kim Wilde when she was touring. He looks a lot like Bill Nighy but swept back grey hair.

When I told him what I had been through he said, "If you are a regular, I could do you an IOU." I said I would hold him to it.

… the moral of the story is get change!