Jim's Bus

Who hasn't been in a discussion about school buses these past few days?  More accurately, who hasn't been in a discussion about behavior on school buses?

I'm an advocate of eliminating publicly funded transportation of kids to school.  Why not try having the kids walk, bike or ride in parents'  cars to school?  Employees now used to maintain and drive the buses can be redirected as crossing guards, street monitors and civilian patrols to ensure kids get to and from school safely.   There are some rural or long distance routes where a bus is a prudent transportation measure but a kid who lives a mile from school hardly needs a societal conveyance to get him there.  The savings in capital expenditures and fuel costs would certainly make administrators and parents smile.  No chance of it happening in my lifetime though.

In any case, since we are on the topic of school buses, the one that picks my kid up every morning and drops him off in the afternoon is driven by a man named Jim.  Jim's a retired Xerox employee and really loves kids.   He's got that way about him.   He can make a shy, quiet kid feel comfortable and part of the team and at the same time he can temper a rabble-rouser.   His job is much easier in the morning when the freshly awakened passengers are far less energetic than they are in the afternoon.

He saves his best for the PM performances.   He does what a professional needs to do to keep hyperactive kids in check.  He distracts them.   From singing songs to cracking jokes to involving them in rating games on how well they behaved that day, Jim's got the audience guessing as to what comes next.   There's no time for shenanigans on Jim's bus.

At every house home to a dog, the pet in the front yard knows that Jim's bus is coming down the street.  There's a treat under Jim's seat for the drooling pooch.   Some, so eager to see Jim and their young owners, can't wait until the double doors swing open so they can jump on.  Hands and faces are licked and the puppy gets a treat.  A reward for day long patience.

Summer vacation is here.  On the day after the last day of school, our yellow lab CJ leaped off the couch at 3:09PM and headed to the door to greet Jim and his bus.   Jim didn't come of course and won't for a few more months.  She wagged her tail and waited and then, disappointed, went back to her nap and dreamed of Labor Day and Jim's return.