LITTLE Johnny's BIG Joe Problem

Little Johnny was very happy today, and he had every reason to be. Finally his long cherished dream was getting fulfilled. He turned major just 3 months back, had passed the driving test and was one of the youngest bus drivers around. As he was handed the bus keys he knew he had kept the promise he made to his dad, who himself had earned a name by driving people in and out of the village.Every one knew Little Johnny, a subdued character, thin, tall fellow, blue eyes, long unkept blonde hair, a small red cap which was always with him ever since people could remember. He had learned to live life happily , all by himself , specially after those long years in school where he was a constant target of bully and pranks. But then that was then, now he was a proud driver of a big yellow bus, which he would drive around, across the lush green fields of the village into the concrete jungle of the city.
On the first day of the duty, he made two up and down trips from the village to the city. He had taken up the duty of both driver and ticket conductor. Everyone who boarded the bus took the right ticket to their destination and congratulated him. He could hardly hide his smile throughout the trip. He drove smoothly, stopped at every bus stop, helped pessangers with getting off, was particularly careful with women and children. It was just the perfect beginning he wanted. Next few days went on well, he was now settling down in his role and could almost remember everyone who boarded the bus.
It was just another regular day for Little Johnny, as he went from one bus stop to another. At one of the bus stops' he saw a large crowd standing and waiting for the bus. He stopped gently keeping some distance from the crowd. One by one people stared boarding the bus. As he sat giving tickets to the passengers, he felt a sudden tremor, as if something heavy had been placed by the main door. He tried to peep through the crowd and saw a huge man standing by the door. He was triple the size of Little Johnny, thick french beard and was bald. You could easily mistake him for a wrestler. Passangers took each of their tickets and kept moving on. Litttle Johnny was a bit scared to ask him for the ticket. Somehow he mustered up all his courage and asked him 'Ticket sir'. 'Big Joe does not need a ticket', came the stern reply. He could sense the arrogance and his immense strength in the voice. Little Johnny swalloed hard and turned around back to the wheel. From the corner of his eye he could see Big Joe sitting on the first seat, with hands folded across his big chest and firm muscular stomach. Sensing him sit so close and given his impudence and audacity of not buying a ticket, poor Johhny was rattled. He could hardly hear the cars honk on the street nor the cries of people on the road. The smile which he always carried on his face had suddenly deserted him. The only thing he was doing was to look straight ahead and drive hard without turning back to look at the people getting on or off the bus. It wasnt untill the last stop in the city when Big Joe finally got down that Little Johnny sighed , the life that was ebbing out of him was slowly flowing back in.
Things continued to be the same the whole week. Everytime Little Johnny asked for a ticket he kept getting the same stern reply 'Big Joe does not need a ticket'. So petrified Johnny had become that he stopped asking Joe for the ticket, Big Joe used to board the bus everyday but never got himself a ticket.
After a hectic day Little Johnny reached home. Tired as he lay on his bed he thought of all that was happenning with him for the past few weeks. Big Joe was tormenting him , he had no respite , Big Joe was haunting him. Big Joe was so monstrously big and strong that Little Johnny could visualise him stopping a STORM by just standing in its way, well one couldn't blame Johnny for his wierd imagination , such was the impact BIG Joe had made on LITTLE POOR Johnny. No one in the village knew much about Big Joe. The very thought of Big Joe was weakening Johnny. It was resurrecting the old ghosts that Little Johnny believed all this while that he had vanquished, memories of his old school days when he used to run to his dad to hide from his bullying friends. But he had no place to run now. 'Be strong and fight it yourself' he recollected his father's words. At that very moment he decided that he was going to be like Big Joe. He would work out every day, become strong and big like Joe, then he would ask him for a ticket. Then he would like to see how Joe would refuses him.
From the very next morning Johnny made the gym his close accomplice - he started working out everyday. Days melted into months. People had already started noticing the difference. Little Johnny was no longer "LITTLE"... he was "putting" on muscles and was already feeling good about himself. But still there was a long way to go to be in the same league as Big Joe.

'Naughty Jack' boarded the bus one day.'Naughty Jack' had been Little Johnny's nemesis as long as they were in school, and words couldnt express how much Johnny wanted to get even with Jack the Rascal as Johnny adressed him . He with his vociferous friends got into the bus, seeing Little Johnny in the driver's seat, he glanced at his friends and made a mischevious gesture. Everything looked ominous; a showdown looked imminent. 'Ticket' said Little Johnny keeping his cool, 'We'll buy it tommorow' said Jack in a jeering tone and then started walking off. Suddenly he felt a strong force that was pulling him in a direction opposite to which he wanted to go . Little Johnny was holding Jack by his forearm . Little Johnny looked right into his eyes and rasing his voice a bit said 'Then better come tommorrow'. There was sudden silence in the bus. Naughty Jack felt the resistance , the steely grit, the resolve in Johnny's voice that was hitherto missing, as he looked at the passengers sitting in the bus, he could feel that all of them were with Johnny. He reached his pocket took out a cent and handed over to Little Johnny. 'It can only take you to the next stop. Make sure you get down safely' said Johnny in a slightly contemptuous tone as he released his hold and turned back to the wheel.Little Johnny felt a sudden rush of joy. The Smile which he had lost for quite some months now was adorning his face again. More than anything else , it was a huge morale victory for him. He always knew he had a tough side to him but some how he never managed to surface it and finally it was there. Johnny continued with his workout and followed them with a vigorous determination. He dreamt of the day, which seemed unbelievably close now , when he would hold Big Joe by his arm , stop him in his track ,then stare him in the eye and ask for the ticket. He wanted to see the same fear , the sense of helplessness , the feeling of embarrassement and surpirse as he had seen in Jack.
One year passed by and Johnny had grown from a small subtle character to a big strong man. He knew the day was not far when he would stop Big Joe and punish him for his indignity , right infornt of everyone. But the problem was that Big Joe had been very irregular of late. Johnny had been looking forward to "Judgement Day", as he called it now, but somehow the days kept crawling by but there was no sign of Joe .Finally the day of reckong did arrive - Johnny saw his man standing at the bus stop. His conscience , his inner voice told him that the day had finally come. He slammed the accelarator and careened the bus towards Joe and the slammed the brakes hard as the bus came to a screeching halt by Joe's side.Big Joe was startled by Johnny's driving and he boarded the bus mutterring something under his breath , it was clear that he was displeased by Johnny's rash driving. 'Ticket' said Johnny strecthing his vocal cords to produce a dominating effect. 'Big Joe does not need a ticket' came back the reply. As Big Joe started to step ahead, Little Johnny held him by his left hand. 'And why dosen't Big Joe need a ticket' said Johnny slightly increasing the pressure on Joe's wrist. Johnny heart was beating hard but he tried to maintain his calm demeanour. Big Joe was taken by surprise. He turned around to take a look at the driver and gave a puzzled look. He went down his pocket to take out his wallet. Johnny could sense that the final frontier was about to be his , sweet victory was his , Joe was sinking...... Big Joe rummaged through his wallet trying to find something. He took out a small card from the wallet and presented it to the driver. 'Beacuse Big Joe carries a monthly card' snapped Big Joe in a frustrating tone, thrusting the card towards the driver for him to have a closer look. Johnny could feel that whole bus stairing at him and he slowly let go of his grip and turned back to his driving wheel. Big Joe walked ahead nodding his head and murmuring something to himself and Johnny felt the same rush of blood which he had felt when the first time Big Joe had boarded the bus.
Many months have passed now, Big Joe still carries a bus pass and boards the same bus. But the driver has changed.

Though the story was not a happy ending for Little Johnny but he realized one fact 'Make sure you have a problem at hand at the first place before going all out to solve it.' Though Johnny had the motivation and determination to solve the biggest of problems but ultimately it did not serve him well , there was no point wasting all of it at something which never existed.