The scholar, pt. 5: “Another one rides the bus”
At last, Samuel has been assigned to a school bus route.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
I took him outside this morning. We waited by the curb, in the dark.
Then the bus flew past us on a different street.
Maybe he’ll get to ride the bus to school tomorrow.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
He did make today’s return journey on the bus.
Daniel and I sat in lawn chairs on the front porch and waited for Samuel to arrive. When the bus pulled up, all the windows but one were empty … and there was Samuel’s curly head. There were his big eyes, staring out expressionlessly.
I was so proud of my little son for enduring this ordeal: his first bus ride, his first solo journey.
As soon as he got indoors, he went to his toy cars. He was virtually mute for an hour or so.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Eventually, I learned that other children had ridden with him, and that he had enjoyed looking out at the houses.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
His driver seemed very conscientious. When she stopped the bus, she put on latex gloves and went back to help Samuel out of his seat. Then she waited to drive away until after he’d gone into the house.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
I took him outside this morning. We waited by the curb, in the dark.
Then the bus flew past us on a different street.
Maybe he’ll get to ride the bus to school tomorrow.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
He did make today’s return journey on the bus.
Daniel and I sat in lawn chairs on the front porch and waited for Samuel to arrive. When the bus pulled up, all the windows but one were empty … and there was Samuel’s curly head. There were his big eyes, staring out expressionlessly.
I was so proud of my little son for enduring this ordeal: his first bus ride, his first solo journey.
As soon as he got indoors, he went to his toy cars. He was virtually mute for an hour or so.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Eventually, I learned that other children had ridden with him, and that he had enjoyed looking out at the houses.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
His driver seemed very conscientious. When she stopped the bus, she put on latex gloves and went back to help Samuel out of his seat. Then she waited to drive away until after he’d gone into the house.
The school bus is the safest vehicle on the road – your child is much safer taking a bus to and from school than traveling by car. In fact, students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling by car. That’s because school buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road; they’re designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in preventing crashes and injuries; and in every state, stop-arm laws protect children from other motorists.(Indiana Criminal Justice Institute)