Story: Dr Shahla Gondal
It was a snowy morning in Norway.
Everything was covered in a white blanket of snow, and light snowfall continued. My husband was out of the country for an important work trip, and the older kids were in Paris, enjoying themselves. I was at home with the two younger children, caught up in the morning rush. I had to send the kids to school, get to work myself, and navigate the icy roads—an adventure in itself. Luckily, I had already taken permission from my principal, Mr. Walter, to arrive an hour late, as being on time in Norway’s winter often depended on sheer luck.
After dropping the kids off at Hanan’s house, I set off for the station. The roads were dangerously slippery, and I was carefully watching my steps while continuously reciting Ayat-ul-Kursi for protection. A couple of times, I nearly slipped, but by God’s grace, I managed to stay on my feet. When I finally reached the station, I let out a sigh of relief and took shelter under a shed to avoid the snow. Soon, the bus arrived. I checked the number and boarded it comfortably.
Just then, my husband called, and I plugged in my AirPods, getting engrossed in our conversation. The bus moved slowly, and everything outside looked the same—covered in thick snow. Normally, the screen inside the bus displayed the names of each stop, but today, it was turned off. Instead, only audio announcements were being made, which were drowned out by my AirPods. I assumed I would reach my school stop in about twenty minutes, so I continued chatting without a care.
A while later, I glanced outside and felt something was off. Tall buildings? These weren’t part of my usual route! I was still trying to process this when the bus came to a sudden halt, and all the passengers started getting off. Within moments, the entire bus was empty.
The driver walked up to me and asked, “Ma’am, aren’t you getting off?”
“Which stop is this?” I asked anxiously.
“Oslo Airport!”
For a moment, my heart stopped. I had boarded the bus going in the opposite direction!
The driver reassured me, “Don’t worry, the bus will return shortly.”
I immediately messaged my principal, Mr. Walter: “By mistake, I got on the airport bus. Now it will take me an extra hour to reach school!”
His reply came within moments: “No problem, the snowfall has been causing disruptions to bus routes.”
I replied sheepishly, “This isn’t because of the snow. It’s because of my own eyesight! I checked the bus number but not the direction!”
Mr. Walter instantly sent a laughing emoji. It was clear that he was thoroughly enjoying this situation. At least someone was having a good day!
Eventually, the bus started its return journey, and after another forty minutes, I finally reached my school stop.
A week later, my husband was back, and once again, I was caught in the morning chaos. I was already running late when I hurriedly told my husband, “Now show off your driving skills and get me to the station as fast as possible!”
With a confident smile, he replied, “Don’t worry, as always, I’ll get you there on time!”
As we reached the roundabout near the station, he spotted my bus leaving the stop and immediately informed me, “Your bus has already left!”
“Follow it and drop me at the next stop!” I said enthusiastically.
He started following the bus, but soon, it took a turn in the opposite direction.
“This one is heading to the airport!” I announced, as if I were an expert on bus routes.
He gave me a sarcastic glance, “Exactly, and meanwhile, your actual bus was still at the station!”
Without missing a beat, I said, “Forget the station, just drop me at the next stop!”
He sighed and said, “As you command, madam!”
When I got off at the stop, several of my students were already there. Asha looked at me curiously and asked, “Why are you here today?”
Smiling, I replied, “Missed my bus at the station, so I came here instead!”
Within minutes, the bus arrived, and I reached school safely.
Later, I consoled myself, thinking that life is all about experiences. But honestly, I was having a few too many of them!
Now, I have decided that before getting on a bus, I will not only check the number but also its direction. And yes, I will pay attention to platform numbers too—because there is a difference between platforms two and three!
And if I ever mistakenly board the airport bus again, I’ll make sure to inform Mr. Walter in advance—so he can sit back, relax, and enjoy a good laugh!
