A Walk To The Bus

Just having a flashback, brought on by the bright early spring morning we are having.  When we were kids we lived back a very long lane.  Easily a quarter mile long.  We always walked the lane to the bus, the three of us, my brother Brian and Margaret and I.  At the end of the lane sat a small building with windows so we could see the bus coming when it was cold or rainy.  I rarely remember getting a ride to the end of the lane, but maybe on the worst days.

Spring mornings were my favorite for walking to the bus.  It was bright, new, fresh and we wore sweaters instead of winter coats, we carried our books and our lunch boxes.  The sun was glowing and new grass was damp from the morning dew, the birds were singing.  When we were older, we would often ride our bikes to the end of the lane, we'd lay them in the grass along the drive and retrieve them in the afternoon when we were dropped off again.  We never worried that our bikes would be gone, it just didn't happen in the country in those days.

We were the first to get on the bus and the first to be dropped off.  Our ride in the morning was usually about forty minutes long.  I never really minded that, I always sat with the same friend and we were happy with each others company.  I loved our bus driver too, I see him still in my mind, he was always smiling and said, "Good Morning" to everyone that stepped on the bus.  And in the afternoon, he always said, "Good night". 

When I was older, being the first to get on, I would request the job of opening the door for each stop.  It was fun to stand at the front of the bus and be the door person.  I never got the job at night being the first off.  I don't ever remember if my brother or sister got to do this or even if they wanted to, it seemed to be my job. 

One of the other things I remember is going home from school with a friend, all I needed was a note from my Mom to tell the friends bus driver that I had permission.  These days my grandchildren have to get off the same spot every night, no changes allowed.  If they have somewhere else to go they have to be picked up at the school by the parent in charge.  And there is no way they would be allowed to stand at the front of the bus and open the door, they might fall out or something.  Seriously, it is a wonder I have lived as long as I have with all the safety things out there now.  Could I ride my bike to the end of the lane without a helmet, or would my bike be found when I returned in the afternoon? 

It is good to remember the simpler times when we walked our lane on a warm spring morning.