School Bus Rides

"Hurry up!" yells Mom, "the hack is coming 'round the bend!" Another torturous day of school, won't this agony ever end? With a fried egg sandwich in my Roy Rogers box for lunch, I climb aboard to join that gloomy and sullen bunch! What a disgusting horde of waifs each morn I must face. Unwashed mugs with bits of breakfast showing a little trace! The bus reeked of fried eggs, oranges and other exotic things. What an unkempt and uncultured mass of little human beings! The only ray of sunshine in that long and wearisome ride, Was when my puppy love asked me to sit down by her side. The other highlight of the day was when we were homeward bound; A more exuberant gaggle of kids on earth could not be found! Mr. Frank had driven the same old bus for years and years, But still ground steel as he double-clutched to change the gears. When getting stuck in a three foot drift of snow, He would rock to and fro in his seat to get the bus to go! A special treat that made us kids so very happy and gay; Mr. Frank gave us a bag of candy to savor on Christmas Day! Long forgotten rides on trains and planes were quite a thrill, But memories of school bus rides remain with me still! Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired (© All Rights Reserved)