Bus Ride

"Up the hill!"
"Down the hill!"
"Up the hill!"
"Down the hill!"
"Up the hill!"
"Down the hill!"

And so the chanting went until our school bus driver turned left onto the main road.  A cheer rose up from the "Down the hill!" chanters, drowning out the moans and groans from the "up-the-hillers".

Because my spouse took the car into town earlier this morning for an appointment, I had the unique pleasure of riding the school bus home today.  Most days the bus does two runs before and after school.  However, today there was only "one bus".  Normally I would have asked someone else for a ride, but I had hoped to take a pic of Fi riding the bus home.  Alas, because it was a "one bus" day, it was not meant to be.  Students were jammed into the seats, and I, being the last one on, had to stand in the aisle, trying to move as little as possible so as not to whack any students with my teaching and camera gear (goes everywhere!).

As the driver pulled away from the school, the students began the chant "Up the hill, down the hill."  If the driver turned right, the "up-the-hillers" would have a shorter bus ride and arrive home sooner than the "down-the-hillers".  And if left, the opposite.  So, a cheer from the "down-the-hillers" today.

The rest of the ride was boisterous, loud and amazingly cheerful.  Because I was on the bus (a teacher on the bus is a rare occurrence), there were many light-hearted jokes ("Just kidding!") and laughter at my expense (which actually is a good thing, meaning that the students tolerate my presence).  As I stepped down off the bus, there was a chorus of "Bye!" and "Have a good weekend, Mr. K!", knocking on windows and waving of students' hands.  Some days I feel like I don't make any difference here, but today was one that showed me that I do.