Janey Godley on diffusing a bus station flashpoint with a simple hug

Something happened tonight to me.

I couldn’t take it anymore… I needed to step in. Let me explain.

Sometimes when we watch the news we see violence and anger and think “is the world f**ked?”

There seems to a level of low grade anger and selfishness just simmering under everyone’s skin. We are waiting for someone to do something wrong so we can point it out and put it on Facebook.

Who are we that we can’t just give a bit of fu**ing humanity and patience with each other?

Let me tell you what happened tonight as I was headed to the bus station to catch a bus to Edinburgh from Glasgow to do a comedy show at The Stand Comedy Club. Am a comedian, it’s what I do.

As I approached the doors of the bus station, people were walking out fast looking nervous. I walked in.

I walked into a big screaming argument in the middle of Buchanan Street Bus station.

I looked to see what was going on and there was a wee stocky young bloke with his wee girlfriend who was holding a puppy — the dog whined and the girl looked nervous whilst he was ranting and raving at the staff. Arms thrown about, stamping feet — exaggerated body language, it was intimidating. He was tattooed with a loud threatening voice.

I thought “aw fu**sake shut up man” the story unfolds, it seems they wouldn’t let him back on the bus home to Edinburgh with his girl friend and the Wee dog in a blanket. They don’t let dogs on the bus. He came on the same bus.

He’s clearly a wee rapper dude who looked liked he smokes some weed and the staff in uniform are all gathered together saying “no my problem son” they weren’t helping they weren’t sure how to help and they looked scared.

He was being very aggressive and looked like he was about to hit someone.

So he cranked up the volume but was very coherent in his argument as they did let him come on the bus with a dog why can’t they let him go back with a dog?

But he lost all purchase because of how he looked and behaved.

Staff were stonewalling him and they were calling cops he was shouting and getting upset – they were not accepting his argument and he was being scary.

He’s screaming “how do I get home then I can’t stay here I don’t live here in Glasgow” his girlfriend was distraught. People were watching people were trying to get involved.

I am guessing he has anger issues or possibly a mental issue – he is running at everyone shouting losing it waving a bus ticket.

I had just bought a cup of hot tea so I just sighed and had to put my tea down on a wee bench bit and walked over to him, surprised him and grabbed him tight and hugged him and wouldn’t let him go and said “look at me”

The staff looked horrified. People stepped back.

You know his eyes were wild I don’t know what other if any chemicals were at play ( and that’s his business we don’t judge middle class women folk full of prosecco in bus stations).

His girl is crying I said loudly but calmly “look at me” he did and he stopped screaming and focused on me and said “are you the lassie that called Trump a c*nt?”

“Yes I am” I said- he smiled I added “now let’s leave here and get a train to Edinburgh “ I knew they were not going to back down on the dog thing.

“Ave no money” he cries I had a return bus ticket” his eyes are wild with anger and frustration.

Easily solved – I gave them train fare – a few quid is f**k all to me – everything to them and solves it all, he hugged me again crying now saying “am sorry I lost my temper I have some attention and mental health problems and I snapped”

I assured him to keep moving, the cops are coming and he will get tasered and jailed. He would not have gone easily. They headed to the train station….

I walked back to the bus station.

“I will Facebook you” he said over his shoulder.

Sometimes people need a hug – just a fu** ing hug in the middle of all the screaming and causing a scene – I went back into the bus station everyone stared at me and some one had stole my tea.

I got on the bus ignoring the staff whispers…and wept as the bus pulled out of the station. My husband has autism and I know how easily it is for him to get wound up and poked like a bear and unable to explain himself.

It wouldn’t have killed the staff to give him a refund or at least tried to help instead of stonewalling him. They effectively were leaving a vulnerable man homeless for the night and not caring. Nobody asked why he was so upset. That made me sad.

(Later on he found me on Facebook)

He wrote this ….

“Thank you millions for helping me and approaching me. I’m judgemental too and if I had seen me, part of my old me wants to go “what a dick” lol but seriously, not laughing, just smiling. I will never forget your act of kindness and you have left both me and my fiance in shock at somebody else that’s a stranger, understanding, although I’m not right to shout, I do have mental health problems and I am a good person. I wish I didn’t do these things. Thank you for assuring me and my rock got home with our puppy! love from us forever Daniel and Jacki xxx”

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