Closing out the school year. Covid hangover and all.

The end came fast this year. Probably because I was transitioning over to my summer job at Glacier, but it did pick up speed once the masks came off and kids got to start acting like kids again.

I could tell the difference. After a year and a half of separating, distancing, masking, muffling, and strangling every ounce of childhood from our bright, youthful minds of the future, to rip off these barriers to being human was so liberating for so many little souls.

The bus went from a quiet morgue-like ride to the school, to a smiling and interactive experience. All the middle school girls pick on the middle school boys because they are still too stupid to see what is going on. All of the art projects going to and from school end up in my garbage can because the students never wanted to do them anyway and sure as hell wasn’t going to take them home where they would be on display in their bedroom for the next ten years. Soooooo many musical instruments that graced the bus seats. Some were ‘accidentally’ left behind when kids didn’t want to practice at school, but I brought them to the front desk anyway.

But I think the true tribute to any bus driver, is when the student acknowledges your hard work. Shows appreciation for all the difficult hours you put in, getting them to and from school safely every day of the academic year. What is better than a card? What just screams ‘Thank you, thank you, Mr. Bus Driver’? Why graffiti of course. With a Sharpie. On the back of a seat.

What I truly love is the fact that it had the vibe of a 1980s album cover. Hearts and wings just scream of the days of big hair and power ballads.

Of course, I had to write her up for vandalism, and the shop will have to replace the entire seat back cover. But it is the thought that counts, and I had a really hard time getting mad at her. Or the spelling error.

After all, Middle School isn’t fun if you don’t break a couple of the rules. Right?