School Bus Memories

He always smelled like cigarette smoke. Even though he had a nice smile whenever I got on his bus, he somehow scared me. He never said much, just scolded us whenever we did something out of line on his bus. I remember jumping over the back of a seat once when he wasn't looking in his mirror, just to tempt it. My friends would play all kinds of games that way.

Once for Christmas he handed out face cards. I thought it was a nice gesture but my friend told me I shouldn't take them because they were evil and that he was evil for giving them to us.

I didn't understand what she meant.

I remember how he laughed at me the time that little chubby kid with the dark hair blew me a kiss threw my window that one time. I was so embarrassed.

Then one time the tire of his bus hit a rock and the whole front end went into the river with the back end poking up out of the water. I hadn't gone to school that day, but I heard the stories. Everyone was holding onto their seats and they had to climb the legs of the seats like a latter to get out. It was his fault, they all said. He hit the rock. But the bus driver was a hero that day. Everyone got out safe.