HERE HE COMES AGAIN

Here's a little of what I call a wonderful come to life memory from my past. I very often think of and wonder what became of the kids I drove. What are they doing? Are they still in this garden state? Or did they move? Although I'm still in touch with a few parents, not as many as I'd like to be.

Well yesterday at the school where I work I received a most happy gift. (If I get to see a kid I had anything to do with, and I get to see how they did after many years of not seeing them,and they look like things turned out well, then my day has been made.)

Now depends on how you look at it Christmas was either a little late or it was very early this year.

I'll take you back a few years, before I tell you about this young man and how he is today. Here was a little boy that was stubborn as could be. He wouldn't listen and had a hard time keeping his seatbelt on. He had a smart mouth and I had to pull the bus to the side of the road and firmly say, "If you don't settle down you don't get home. I can't drive and watch you at the same time and every time I have to stop the bus, you get home that much later!"

Well it worked for short periods of time and yes he finally arrived home safe and sound. Lots of extra work though! He had a one-track mind, always talked about women and how much he loved them. This kid was 9 maybe 10 and never talked about sports or girls his own age. Nothing you'd think of as a bit more appropriate. Well he's grown up and although I didn't get to talk to him much I did take time out from my lunch yesterday because I saw someone walking down the hall and (did you ever look at someone and say gee he looks familiar?)

I turned to look at him again, still not sure where I may have seen him. Until I saw his name on a sub list. Yep he was subbing for one of the teachers that was absent. I went to the room, we made eye contact, and just stared for a moment. Then we both spoke at the same time, saying the same thing, we know each other don't we? He smiled and the next words out of him made my day! He remembered my 8 track tapes, the music I played for the kids, the treats and the little Christmas presents I gave to the kids.

Boy do I feel a bit older today! He remembered so much! What I was seeing was a tall handsome young man, looking down at me with the same smile I'd seen so many times when he was about to say something he probably shouldn't! The mischievous, smart-aleck little boy has grown. For one brief moment I could only think of how far he had come and how thrilled I was to have had a part in his life.