A Slice of Fiction by Ryan Melia

Revenge of the Student Commuter

Everyday the boys’ goal is the same: search out the train car where Loretta isn’t. The boys rode the commuter rail to school and learned that Loretta, the mean conductor (not just mean, as mean a guy in a biker gang after someone tips over his Harley) was the enemy. Not only was she grouchy and miserable, she never let any fees slip, the extra $1 or $2 if she didn’t happen to like you, was always collected.

It was a Friday morning and Ryan and Pat had their heads buried in their textbooks trying to finish homework before the train arrived in Boston. Then they heard it, the dreaded clicking of Loretta’s extra loud, creaky hole-puncher. Her tread was heavy on the aisle, like a Godzilla was let loose on the commuter rail. Her voice was deep and disturbing, “TICKETS!”

All of a sudden, Pat looked at Ryan like he just saw his life flash before his eyes. He stuttered, “My…my…my student p…p…pass.” “What?” asked Ryan confused. “It’s…it’s at home,” Pat managed to get out. You know the music they play in a scary movie, right as an innocent victim is unknowingly being stalked by an ax murderer and the murderer is raising his ax behind the victim’s head? That’s the music that was playing in Ryan’s head. “Do you have any money?” Ryan asked nervously. “No,” said Pat as the beads of sweat began to roll down his face.

Loretta was lurking just two rows away. “Think fast,” Ryan thought to himself. He began rummaging through his backpack searching for any money. One row. Suddenly Max popped over the row in front of Pat and Ryan and threw a five dollar bill at Pat. Just then Loretta turned toward Ryan and Pat. Pat frantically handed his money to her and Ryan, with his hands shaking, showed her his student pass. She glared suspiciously at the boys, sensing their weakness like a shark on the prowl. After she passed them and went on to her next victim, Max looked over his seat and said to Pat, “You owe me.”

As Loretta continued up the aisle, Ryan noticed a quick movement out of the corner of his eye. Loretta was taking cash from her conductor fanny pack and sneaking it into her pants’ pocket. Ryan decided to snoop to see if she did it again. Sure enough, two rows later, she did it again. Ryan turned to Pat who was still recovered from his near death experience. He was staring straight ahead at the seat in front of him, not at the book in his lap. “Hey Pat, did you see that?” Ryan whispered. “See what?” Pat responded. “Loretta. She’s sneaking money from the fanny pack into her back pocket.”

“No way,” said Pat as he leaned over to get a better look. Just as he leaned over, Loretta looked back at them with the most intimidating glare, so sharp, it made the boys quickly shrink back into their seats. “Uh, oh,” said Pat frozen with fear. “Is she coming this way?” whispered Ryan with alarm.

Just then, the train pulled into the station coming to a halt with a screech. The boys recklessly threw their books back into their backpacks and got up ready to make their escape. Just as they looked toward the exit, she appeared out of nowhere.

“Sit DOWN,” bellowed Loretta. “You boys aren’t going anywhere.”

They obediently sat down and looked at each other with a look of pure doom. Their classmates shuffled past them with looks of concern. They could not imagine what would happen next.

A well-dressed gentleman calmly walked up to Loretta and asked, “May I ask what is going on here?”

“Nothing that concerns you. Sit back in your seat sir,” Loretta said with authority.

“Actually, it does concern me Ma’am,” he responded with confidence. “I’m John Murphy, the head of the MBTA. Boys, you may leave. Loretta you’re coming with me.”