A Little Boy and His Bus

I didn't tell you, but last Thursday Cade's bus home was changed. He was originally scheduled on Bus 258. Now he rides Bus 369 home in the afternoon. This is a change for the better since Bus 369 is also the bus he rides in the morning.

Friday's bus transportation went smooth as ice. Yesterday's bus transportation went well. Even when Cade's bus driver told me that he was going to be off the rest of the week and that he'd have a substitute driver, I still wasn't worried. Bus 369 in the morning and in the afternoon. Easy street.

This morning I said hello to the substitute driver and watched as Cade settled in the front seat. His little face appeared at the window and I suppressed the sudden urge to cry as I waved goodbye. It's the second week of school for goodness sake. Why get all emotional now?

That feeling this morning was foreshadow. I stood at the bus stop this afternoon, gazing up the street, waiting for Cade to come home. I saw Bus 369 round the slight curve and my mouth fell open as I watched Bus 369 fly right by me. I was dumbstruck. Do I try to run after the bus? Do I go back to the house to get the car? If I leave this post, will I miss Cade? Is he even on the bus? It was all I could do to keep my knees from buckling; I was at an utter loss of what to do. I can't remember a time when I've felt more helpless.

Since I carry my cell phone with me, I started dialing Allan at work. Then I hung up. What can he do? He's just going to get upset and I've got to maintain some semblance of calm or I was going to collapse right in the middle of the road. I didn't know the school's number, so I start dialing my mom. Voicemail. Now I'm on the verge of tears (I want my son!), so I hang up and dial Allan again. They have to page him.

As I'm waiting for Allan to answer the page, I see a bus coming toward me with flashing lights, and I can just make out 369. The bus driver, a different substitute than this morning, holds up a roster and apologizes by saying, "He's not on the sheet." I was afraid to open my mouth. Tears were about to brim over as Cade jumps off the bus.

Update - The reason why Cade wasn't on "the sheet" is because Cade's new bus number hasn't been updated in the central computer system. Cade told me that some of the older kids told the substitute that he had missed Cade's stop. The driver turned around in a church parking lot and went back to drop Cade off. To those older kids who spoke up - you have my humble gratitude.