After20yearsasafull-timewifeandmotherIdecidedtobeaschoolbusdriverforIlovedkids.AfterhardpracticebythetimeschoolstartedthatyearI’dgottenthehangofit.Iwashappyinmynewwork
After20yearsasafull-timewifeandmotherIdecidedtobeaschoolbusdriverforIlovedkids.AfterhardpracticebythetimeschoolstartedthatyearI’dgottenthehangofit.Iwashappyinmynewwork.Ibecameacombinationchauffeurnurseandfriend.AndifthekidsneededitI’dputonmy“ToughBigSister”act.Itwasalotlikemypreviousjob---beingamom.
WhenIthinkaboutmyyearsofbusdrivingmanythingscrowdedinbutmostlyIrememberCharlie.
CharlieeightyearsoldwithblondhairandcrystallinegrayeyesbeganridingmybusinSeptemberofmyfourthyeardriving.Theyallhadstoriestotellmeabouttheirsummers.Charliethoughignoredme.Hedidn’tevenanswerwhenIaskedhisname.
FromthatdayonCharliewasatrial.IfafightbrokeoutIdidn’thavetoturnmyheadtoknowwhohadstartedit.IfsomeonewasthrowingspitballsIcouldguesstheculprit’sname.IfagirlwascryingchanceswereCharliehadpulledherhair.NomatterhowIspoketohimgentlyorfirmlyhewouldn’tsayaword.He’djuststareatmewiththosebiggrayeyesofhis.
IaskedaroundsomeandfoundoutCharlie’sfatherwasdeadandhedidn’tlivewithhismother.HedeservesmypatienceIthought.SoIpracticedeverybitofpatienceIcouldmuster.Tomycheery“GoodMorning”hewassilent.WhenIwishedhimahappyHalloweenhesneered.ManymanytimesIaskedGodhowIcouldreachCharlie.“I’matmywit’send.”I’dsay.StillIwassurethatthischildneededtofeelsomewarmthfromme.Sowhenhe’dpassbyI’drufflehishairorpathimonthearm.
Towardtheendofthatyearthekidsonmybusgavemeasmalltrophyinscribed“TotheBestBusDriverEver”.Iproppedituponthedashboard.OntopIhungasmalltinheartthatalittlegirlhadgivenme.Inredpaintshehadwritten“IlovePollyandPollylovesme.”
Onthenext-to-lastdayofschoolIwasdelayedafewminutestalkingtotheprincipal.WhenIgotonthebusIrealizedthatthetinheartwasgone.“Doesanyoneknowwhathappenedtothelittleheartthatwasuphere?”Iasked.Foroncewith39childrentherewassilence.
Oneboypipedup“Charliewasthefirstoneonthebus.Ibethetookit.”Otherchildrenjoinedthechorus“Yeah!Charliedidit!Searchhim!”IaskedCharlie“Haveyouseentheheart?”
“Idon’tknowwhatyou’retalkingabout”heprotested.S