Day 26 — How’s the Small Bus?

My colleague, Ms. Rabies, didn’t get any sleep last night, because she received an email from Principal Man telling her that one of her student’s bus drivers has been accused of falling asleep on the bus. She spent the night worrying that something horrible would happen in the morning on the way to school.

She asked Bobby what happens on the bus, and he was no help. “I sit in the back and sleep,” he said. Great. Now what? It came to her attention that Kenny is also on that bus, but asking Kenny questions and getting coherent responses is no easy feat.

She came in and I was trying to figure out how to word the question without ‘leading’ his answer. Ms. Rabies had a great idea. She sat in a chair, as if she was the driver, and Kenny understood that this was a ‘bus’. She gave herself a ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’  — Kenny gave a non-committal nod of the head, and gave a thumbs up. He indicated that the ride was bumpy, by leaping up and down on his chair. “MMNNUUUBBMMMPYY” he said.

Then, to the matter at hand. Ms. Rabies pretended to smoke. Is the driver a smoker? Kenny said ‘no’. She pretended to drink. Is she a drunk? Or does she drink coffee while driving? Nope. She turned around to the back of the bus and laughed and talked. Does she take her eyes off the road? Uh-uh. She pretended to sleep. Does she fall asleep at the wheel? No. Ms. Rabies performance as the wonky bus driver was HILARIOUS and kept me in stitches for the rest of the morning. I insisted on a repeat performance at lunch for our co-workers. Never a dull moment around our school.

Does the driver fall asleep? I don’t think we have a definitive answer. Bobby falls asleep during the ride, and Kenny probably isn’t watching the driver too closely. Let’s hope all goes well on future bus rides.

Mind you, if we have to ask the children more questions about the bus, I’m getting Ms. Rabies to do it!