A SHORT STORY ABOUT "FUCKING MACHINES"

Fucking Machines
‘Fucking machines!’ Tony whispers spitefully at the top of his voice.
‘Fucking machines!’ he repeats to himself quietly.
The passengers listen intently as he kicks the ticket machine. ‘Gimme Back my fucking money… You... piss neck.’
He stands in front of it, looking for ways to retrieve his ticket.

‘Excuse me mate. I’m in a hurry.’ I say.
‘Tony.’
‘Excuse me’ I say.
‘Tony.’
‘Tony. Your name’s Tony.’
‘Tony.’ He repeats with a nod.
‘Hi Tony, why don’t you move to the side and let me try and get your ticket.’

I give the poor tacker a little shove and he takes his frail body back a step to the left, looking over my shoulder as I step in front of the machine. It’s really unnerving having this guy breathing down my neck but the poor wog's a bit demented.

The machine appears normal. I spend a few moments pushing some buttons, it appears to work just fine. No money in the change-return.
‘How much did you put in mate?’
No answer. I turn to look him in the face, so close I could feel his breath.
‘Fucking machine took my money.’ He repeats with great velocity as we both take half a step back, butting me right up against this ticket machine. He got quite a scare because his gaze went inwards and he walked away.
‘Fucking machines.’

‘What a fruit loop’ I mutter to the near by passengers.

I dial in my destination, put in the right change and the ticket pokes from its slot. No problems what’s so ever. Then from out of nowhere Tony’s hand snatches my ticket waves it in the air and he begins singing. ‘My ticket, my ticket’.

‘That’s not your ticket mate.' ' I paid for that ticket’. I say, quite patiently considering this nut case was half my size and I could snap him like a twig.
‘Come on Tony... give it back.’
‘It’s my ticket. I paid for it.’
‘Give it back.. Tony.’
‘My ticket, its my ticket.’
Angrily I hollered at him ‘Give it back or I’ll fucking well deck you’.
The poor sod broke into tears and began wincing. The whole tram was fixated on us. For three dollars and ten cents it wasn’t worth the head fuck.
‘Just keep the fucking ticket mate.’ I say.

I punched in the destination, put in my money, and no ticket pokes out. Just at that moment I hear some one yell ‘Tickets please.”

‘Fucking Machines!’