Stand off. Three boys ran for the moving bus on Hyde Park Corner. One leapt straight on and raced up the stairs. The others barely grabbed the rail as the bus took the corner. They fought with each other trying to force the other one out and off the platform, laughing and yelling and irrespective of the danger.
The conductor watched them, barely a body width away.
He repeatedly rang the bell. The bus stopped.
“You have to get off the bus now.”
One boy pressed menacingly against the conductor. His arm blocked him against the platform window.
“Stop fighting with me.” The conductor said calmly. Both his hands were raised, open palm out.
“You’d know if I was fighting with you boss.”
Silence.
Stand off.
All eyes were on the scene.
The arm dropped and the conductor left the bus to walk around to the driver. The boy kept pressing the bell. Then raced upstairs.
The conductor got back on and the bus started up.
The boys raced down a few minutes later, yelled abuse at the conductor and jumped off. Posted by: kat | September 4, 2004 07:19 PM. Oxford Street to Victoria.