I had to ride the bus to work every day because work was now across town (Beaumont Motor Co). Don always came over and sat down beside me on the bus. He was always nice and polite. He came over to the Y a few times and we watched TV in the lounge. We had never even held hands. We were just friends.

Don came by work told me he had a job interview in Houston on Saturday. He wanted to know if I would go with him. He would get us round trip tickets and we would be back that same night. He just didn’t want to go that far by himself. I didn’t see anything wrong with it, so, I agreed.

I watched Don purchase two round trip tickets to Houston and we boarded the bus. We had a pleasant trip up and Don got the job when he went for the interview. He took me out to dinner to celebrate. Evidently we celebrated too long because when we got back to the bus station, the last bus had already left for Beaumont.

Don wanted to get "A" motel room for the night and I declined. I slept in the Ladies room and the next morning, he sent me a Sunday paper in with a note that he was going to get a shave in the Barbershop and would meet me at 9 AM on the ramp to catch the bus.

Nine AM came and no Don. I had him paged (he had the tickets). No Don. I went to purchase a ticket and found I was $2 short of having enough. They would not take a check because it was Sunday. So here I am 110 miles from home and can’t get a ticket.

Ike was out of town and I could not reach him (he would just laugh and take me home). I could call Alberto and he would come and get me; but I’d have to listen to a lecture about why I shouldn’t trust people. I could call my Mom and she would come and get me; but I’d have to listen to a lecture about why I should always have enough money with me to pay for my own ticket just in case.

I had reached the point where I just felt like sitting down on the ramp and crying when someone said, "Fran what are you doing way up here in Houston?" It was the bus driver who did the Beaumont to Port Arthur run ever Friday. I had ridden his bus so many times he knew my name. He was making the Houston run as a favor for a friend who needed to take the day off.

I explained what had happened and it even sounded stupid to me as I was telling it. He laughed and told me to get in the seat right behind him. Bless his heart, he gave me a free ride home and a couple of cigarettes along the way. He had a daughter about my age and hoped someone would help her out if she were ever in trouble.

Have you figured out that I am gullible yet? I just trust people. I still do but I’m not so gullible with it anymore. Now I’d be wise enough to know the bus schedule, watch the clock, "my" ticket would be in my purse before we left and there would be enough money in my purse to pay for a cab to the bus station if needed.

When I arrived at the Y, Don’s wife was waiting for me. He’s married? Not only was he married; but also his wife was pregnant. She told me she knew I didn’t know that Don was married; but felt I should know. She wanted to leave him because he was always fooling around on her and treated her bad.

They had met in Florida and gotten married six months earlier. They had moved to Texas and that’s when she found out what he was really like. She needed to get a job so she could afford to get a ticket back to Florida. I helped her find a job.

That night one of Don’s friends called and said Don was on the way over. I told him he had better stop him because I knew he was married and I had a gun and was really angry. I never saw Don again.

Psa 144:7-8 Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, From the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth speaks vain words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Picture of me in front of our home in Buna Texas taken by my Mom 1964

On My Own

I've Seen And Heard Of Jesus