A student traveller was stripped of his 50 Euros, while he was using the 'efficient' public transport service in Jiniba, Swijelen. Here's the story..
It was a sane normal day, Daud a student traveller travelling alone, took a bus to town to meet up with two of his family members and a friend. Unlike the bus trips before, he realises that THIS particular bus did not have the ticketing machine, nothing but an empty board in the middle section of the vehicle. Observing everyone else, he calmed himself down and told himself, "MAYBE there'll be a guy walking around issuing tickets". He had no option but to sit and wait till he gets to the desired destination. Asking around would be troublesome as no one speaks English. Daud does speak a little French but he dread that the words that would come out of his mouth will lead to an Asian VS European kickboxing brawl, and the chix(alais) would laugh at him for getting his tiny ass barbequed~.
The bus reached this one stop, two stops before town, and there were these Frenchmen in green(officers he reckoned). Most of the people on the bus started to rush down and get off. Daud was being suspicious to why everyone was acting that way. In Daud's mind, these could be the ticket people, apologising for the inconvenience caused by the unavailability of the ticketing machine. And they would issue tickets themselves manually. But he had a funny feeling.
Then he saw, a person had to took out his wallet for cash and got a white piece of paper in return. Daud was calm as he thought that was the bus ticket.
It was Daud's turn, the officer speaking in French being rude and Daud understood a few words he said. The things he managed to catch was "You......take......ticket.......out.....door.......other...and.....now......francs", in french of course. He was having trouble, and Daud told that he was just a student traveller. So the officer went to get help from his colleague who speaks English. He explained and somehow calmed Daud down and asks for his passport for proof of being "the young traveller". Till the words "EIGHTY FRANCS" came out of the officers mouth.
Daud caught unaware, almost peed in his pants. He thought he only had to pay for the fare. Luckily he had 50 EUROS on him.
Disappointed, Daud decided to write a letter to the bus service.....
Dear bus in Jiniba,
Today, i go on bus and want to go to city where the lake have to see my family and friend. And not the first time i go on bus. I already ride on bus since i come here. I m very latest at travelling on the other people country. And i like earlier, because so easy have mesin and i can buy ticket for me to go eat Burger King because my country Brunei no have. And also, here the syiling is makes it easier because the syilling have until 5 francs. If my country tu, it is 50cent only have the broken money.
I am very young, single and just finish from Maktab Duli. You must know the school because we have so many good footballer kick balls until go inside the gol. I am travelling to Jiniba because my brothers and wife is here and also have my auntie. I am on holiday for first time independent from mama and bapa.
Today, on the bus, have two big people, very white and inggeris cannot talk. One of them talk in Perancis but i cannot understood. Then he asked me wheres the ticket. Then i point to the mesin. Because i dont know where to get the ticket lah. Then he say something like "maie ko wang , cuba ko layan nie" to his friendster but in Perancis. The friend can speak inggeris then he say i have to paid 80francs. And i almost cry because i have to hold my little water already outside so cold. And in my heart i say, "dont you like dat at me!stupid!" but i have to patiently waiting. No wonder so many people run like gangster paradise from the bus just now because dont have ticket.
How can this happened ah, i ask you? I am very young and i explain already. I am tourist, this is how you treat me? I am very konpius and sad. Good only i have 50 euros in my handbag. If not how? How am i gonna smile at chix if my wallet have dust. So please, think about everything that happening to this lonely heart.
Truly yours,
Young and Dangerous
