Herb the Bus Driver

Herb shook as the bus back fired again. The bus was 34 years old but Herb knew if he gave it enough TLC he could get it to run for another 5 years. He pushed the side window open with both hands and leaned out the window.

"Come on, Bessie! Push a little harder. I have to pick up the children for school. I can't be late!"

Herb leaned back in and shoved the gas pedal to the floor. The bus backed fired two more times, jerked forward, and began its gentle slid down the steep hill.

"Come on bussy," Herb whispered guiding the bus away from the on coming trees. "I know. I didn't want to get up this morning either. I would have liked to stay under the covers. But come on, once we start the day it won't be so bad."

The bus's engine started to roar to life. Herb celebrated as he coasted out onto the busy street. The horns of the on coming cars didn't bother him. He was use to it and rather enjoyed the sound. He gently pressed down the gas and the bus chugged down the street heading for its first stop. Herb was excited until...

"You forgot your scones," Bessie yelled from the top of the hill.

Herb swore and swerved the bus back between the lines. A few more honks filled the air.

Herb and the bus crested the hill before the town square. Herb grimaced when he saw the first child he had to pick up. He slid the bus in front of the child and prayed the bus would go again after the stop.

Herb tried to open the door but it was stuck. The little blonde haired boy stared up at the driver. Herb pulled harder on the handle but the door was stuck. The little blonde haired boy banged on the door.

"Ain't you gonna let me in?" The little boy asked, "I got lots of stories to tell you."

Herb yanked the handle one more time and wished for his forgotten scones. The door jerked open and the little blonde haired boy climbed aboard. He took his seat behind Herb.

"So, when I got of the bus last Friday I went into my house to find my pet lizard. You remember me telling you about my pet lizard Thomas. Well, he wasn't in his cage. It was a glass cage my father and I built together like three summers ago. I searched my room and I thought my mommy was going to yell at me..."

Herb closed the bus doors. Only 28 more children to go. The bus jerked once, twice and then Herb pulled out into the on coming traffic to more honks.

"It turns out my father had come home early from work and had taken him to get him a bigger cage because they were buying me another lizard. I named the new one Thomas 2 until Mommy told me that it was a girl. So, I changed the name to Tammy."

Herb groaned wishing for some scones.

"Then I was watching TV. I saw this cartoon where..."

Herb turned at the town square and the smell of the fresh baked scones from the town's bakery filled the air. He made a promise to himself to come back after his dropping the children off. He checked his watch as he went over the train tracks. Twenty minutes until he picked up the last child then 10 more minutes until school. He'd be at that bakery by 7:47 am. Herb smiled to himself as he thought of the time. He missed being an airline pilot but since retiring driving the bus filled the void.