The jolly driver had already done me a favour when I’d left my camera on board. Then he got on the microphone and said ‘Hey folks, it’s this guy’s birthday today’

Back in my native Austria, people don’t even bother to lock their front doors. So when I set off in the 1980s to backpack through the US, I was warned about the country’s high crime rate and made to fear this big, scary place.

I had my 21st birthday while I was in Los Angeles, and I’d been out having a few beers. Tired and ready to go home, I jumped on a public bus. The moment I stepped off I realised I’d left my camera on the seat – a disaster, as it was very precious to me.

Luckily the bus had set me down right next to a phone booth, so I found the number for LA public transport, rang them and told them I’d left my camera behind. After putting me on hold for a couple of minutes, the lady on the other end of the line told me to wait at the bus stop and they’d get the camera back to me.

Just a few minutes later, the bus I’d been on did a U-turn, pulled up and the driver handed me my camera. This was totally unexpected – I thought I’d have to go and fetch the camera myself from some far away bus depot, if someone hadn’t already pocketed it.

I profusely thanked the driver, who was a warm, friendly guy. “It’s my birthday today, and this is the best birthday present ever,” I told him. Without missing a beat, the driver got on the microphone and said: “Hey folks, it’s this guy’s birthday today” – and then got everyone on the bus, about 50 people who were probably on their way home from work, to join him in singing me happy birthday.

I was happily beside myself. The memory still puts a smile on my face. My only regret is that I didn’t think to take a photo of that jolly bus driver!