<u>Journey by Bus</u>

General Description. Everyone want to have their own vehicle but it is not possible at all in under developed countries. So, the people are using public transport for their conveyance. Public transport is the cheapest and has therefore, always been popular with the masses. These public transports especially buses are overcrowded in our country. Although, the government has given proper attention towards public transport and have started Metro Bus Service in the most of the congested cities. I have also experienced a journey in public bus which will be explained in the succeeding paragraphs. Journey to the House of Friend. Once, I decided to visit the house of my friend in Shalimar colony on Sunday. The place is quite far off from my residence in Ayub Colony and the auto rickshaw would have charged at least rupees three hundred. So, I thought of taking a little trouble in public bus to cover the whole distance at the cost of rupees twenty only. When I reached the bus stop, I saw a huge number of passengers waiting on the road. The seats of bus were full and some passengers were hanging on to its gates, back stairs and also on the top. Rush during Journey. The lucky ones managed to put their toe on the footholds and left everything else to Almighty Allah. There is no need of pushing ourselves inside. It is done with full force by those who board the bus after us. The private buses had observed Sunday as holiday. Therefore, everyone was trying to get the maximum out of the all-day pass. The crowd was swelling every minute. Most of them were office-goers and were in a hurry. There were only 50 seats in the bus but more than hundred persons were travelling in it. The number of passengers standing was more than those occupying the seats. There were eight seats reserved for the ladies but they were occupied by young men. The old women were standing and were requesting the boys to vacate the seats. The boys did not bother and turned their faces aside. They were behaving as they deeply engrossed in the scene outside. Children were crying inconsolably and women were shouting loudly. It was not easy to get to the exit door. One had to do some tight rope-walking as if it were a circus show. Completion of Journey. The bus reached at my distention after more than an hour. I started pushing my way ahead. There was a great din and noise. Suddenly, I felt that someone is touching my purse. I tried to grab him but he had already slipped. After a while, I looked around foolishly because not only the money but also the ticket was in the same purse. I shouted loudly and called on the driver to take the bus to the police station. He kept on driving till my stop came. The driver told me that it would not be profitable at any cost because the pick-pocket might have got down from the bus immediately. I alighted from the bus. My pocket had been picked, my shirt was torn, my legs were aching, and my heart was sinking. I had learnt a lesson of life from this journey.