Dear Sir,

On Tuesday, August 4 at 9.43pm, after a brisk walk, hurrying not to miss my bus, I was treated less than humanely by the male bus driver driving the No 8 bus to Somerset.

The bus was scheduled to leave at 9.45pm, I arrived at the Hamilton Bus Terminal with my husband after working from 8am to 9.30pm. My husband had travelled from Somerset to meet me so I wasn’t alone at night catching the bus.

I couldn’t wait to get home because I was very tired and had work again in the morning. I checked the bus schedule and was aware that there wasn’t another bus until 10.45pm. The question may be, “Why don’t I have my own transportation?” The answer to that is simple: I am a student and have returned home to work to finance the rest of my education. I have been working long hours to make my dreams of finishing university a reality.

Upon arriving at the bus terminal, there were two buses reversing out of their parking bays — a St George’s bus and a No 8 Somerset bus. The driver of the St George’s bus asked us from his window if we were going to St George’s and we replied: “No, Sir. We are going to Somerset.”

I asked if the bus behind him going to Somerset and he replied: “Yes.”

The St George’s bus then pulled out. As we walked towards the Somerset bus, the driver looked at us shook his head no and turned away and began to drive off. My husband shouted “wait, wait”, waving his arms and directly in front of us the bus drove away like we weren’t standing there. I couldn’t believe how nasty I was treated and my American husband, who hasn’t been here very long, was in disbelief.

After telling him how friendly and kind Bermudians are, this bus driver who is supposed to be an ambassador for our Island, just proved all that I said to be wrong. I knew we’d be stuck, sitting, waiting for another hour. My heart sank and I almost wanted to cry, and I began to question: “What is happening to Bermudians? Where are the days when people actually cared and respected one another?”

I had to call my 67-year-old father and wake him out of his bed to share with him what I had just experienced because I just couldn’t understand how this could happen to me in my own Island. He drove from Somerset to pick us up and drove me back to Somerset so that we wouldn’t be waiting so long and I could get home because I am up again for work at 6am.

P.S. Mr Bus Driver, we all have bad days and we all have jobs where we cannot take that baggage with us. The way we treat people, especially as an island that thrives on tourism, is key to visitors returning and having good reports to share with others. Today you failed me and your country. Where is the love?

JUST A HARD-WORKING

BERMUDIAN STUDENT