I've only been to San Francisco once, but one thing burned into my memory is the San Francisco trolleybus system system. One of the most ambitious public transportation projects in American history, it consists of 15 above-ground lines and 300 trolley coaches. It's one of only five trolley systems in use in the US.

But not a lot of people remember that these trolleys have a dark history. Back in 2009, then governor of California and former Mr. Universe Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to tour the historic system with his personal staff. However their best tour guide had come down with a case of swine flu, and the only one available was one of the worst trolley drivers in the company.

The driver pleaded for a chance to show his worth, and eventually the city government allowed him to drive the trolley and give the tour. For the first time in his career he was on point. His banter was interesting and informative. He followed all of the traffic laws. He was ready to claim his destiny.
However a drunk driver missed a red light and slammed into the trolley. The driver was the sole survivor of a tragedy he was not at fault for, but it meant that he was the only person to blame. He was tried in a sham trial and put on death row. When it came time for his execution he said,

"Well, I guess this is it!"

And for a final request asked for a 12 inch cigar, which he smoked thoughtfully, then faced his doom. He sat in the electric chair and they pulled the switch, but nothing happened. They checked the wires and tried again, but he was unharmed. They executed another prisoner and tried again. Again, the driver was safe.
Months later an Arnold-free Terminator: Salvation released to terrible reviews, and the city decided it was once again time to execute the driver. This time for a final request he asked for a 16 inch cigar, smoked it and said,

"Well, I guess this is it!"

Again he sat in the electric chair and they pulled the switch, and nothing happened. At this point the driver had become a sort of celebrity, with several lobbyist groups calling for his release. Clearly there was a reason this man had to live. He was released, did the regular talk show circuit (Letterman's interview is especially funny, if you're interested) and, like all working class celebrities, he eventually faded into obscurity.

Years later, a woman recognizes him on the street,

"You're that guy, aren't you! The man who couldn't die? What was it, how did you keep surviving the chair? Was it the cigar? I know cigars are supposed to be bad for you but you really figured something out! Was it that thing you said, about aepting your own mortality? I've always been curious, what happened?"

The driver answered, "I guess I was just never a very good conductor".