High Crimes in Warsaw

I don't tend to like playing Russian Roulette when riding the bus. I'm much more of a buy-your-ticket-and-ride-in-peace kind of girl. Which is why I buy three month long passes. However, since I don't actually have to swipe this three month pass, I tend to get on the bus and forget about it.

The bus pass, however, expired yesterday, and I forgot to get it charged again while I was at work. So instead, I bought a couple of one-way passes. But a one-way pass doesn't do you much good if you don't remember to punch it.

Mind you, I wasn't controlled on the bus for the ENTIRE first two months I was here. But on the one morning that I didn't have my pass, and I forgot to stamp my ticket, of course the bus got controlled. I heard them lock the machines as they got on the bus, and had that sinking feeling as I realized what was going on and thought 'oh sh--!'

My mind wasn't really working very well as I tried to decide what to do. Give them my expired three month card? Give them yesterday's old punched ticket? They'd realize both of these were expired. Should I play the dumb American and only speak English?

Noticing that we were only one stop from the Embassy, I made my way to the door, away from the ticket controllers. Now normally, they'll chase you off the bus if they think your fleeing them. So I took out my monthly card (that was expired) and made sure it was visible to the ticket guys. They were only one person away when the bus stopped and I got off.

They didn't come after me.

So I'm still $150 richer, and I quickly took care of renewing my bus pass this morning. A lesson that my blood pressure certainly didn't need at 6:30 this morning, as I double timed it the rest of the way to work on foot. What a way to start the day!