I was sittin’ here doin’ some thinkin’ about all the years I drove this here school bus. I remember this one young feller who was kinda nerdy if you know what I mean. This little guy would ask so many questions it would drive any man to drinkin’.

Well he graduated from one of those high flutin’ college places and he travelled all over the world. His name was Peter Davies.

In 1986, Peter was on a vacation in Kenya after graduating from college.

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standin’ with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully.

He got down on one knee, inspected the elephant’s foot, and found a
large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently
as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his knife, after which the
elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the
man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for
several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinkin’ of nothing else
but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned,
and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of
that day.

Twenty years later, Peter was walkin’ through the Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son
Cameron were standin’. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted
its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that
several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Rememberin’ the encounter in 1986, Peter could not help wonderin’ if
this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up his courage, climbed
over the railing, and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right
up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted
again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs and slammed him
against the railin’, killin’ him instantly.

All I can think of is,….

it probably wasn’t the same elephant.

I’ll write another one of these ree-ports again soon…but right now I’m a bit teary eyed.

Alfonso McGinneeshack

I pick up and drop off high school students. Let me say that these boys and girls are pretty nice people. However, once a week or so we have our moments on the bus.

The other day this little feller was yellin’ and screamin’ about something and he was kind of hysterical if you know what I mean. We were almost to the school but I had enough. So, I pulled the bus over and walked back to get a hold of the problem. A couple of them boys took one little feller and put his science project, that he was workin’ on at home, and had it dangling outside one of the windows.

I retrieved the project and put it back in the little guys hands. Then I told the other boys that there would be no more of this foolin’ around. That if there was any more foolishness I would be a little more direct. One of those boys sassed back that I was nothin’ but a bus driver and that I couldn’t do anything.

When we were at the school, he was gettin’ off the bus. He missed the step and tumbled down off the bus. He was layin’ there and screamin’ in pain. He said to me that I should help him and to get some first aid. I said back that I was nothin’ but a stupid bus driver and closed the door. I drove ahead about 2 feet and then I stopped the bus and helped that snot-nosed ornery feller to the nurses office.

The next couple days he didn’t ride the bus. On friday he came aboard and apologized for himself and then said he was sorry to the little guy. I guess it takes a little heartache before you see the path to happiness. Another good lesson learned.

Alfonso McGinneeshack

I was on my way home from hauling these noisy kids home on the school bus and I saw this ol’ boy hitch hiking. He looked a bit scruffy but so do I so I asked him if he needed a lift? He said he was heading towards the Pickwick Dam area. I told him that I was going through there and to get on in. This fella sure needed a bath. Even my dog Jackson was covering himself up with a blanket in the back seat. He was definitely tired and worn out from his journey. I was very sorry for him. I asked him what his name was and he said back that his real name is Bennet Jordanski but he goes by the nickname, Bullet.

He said he had a sister that lived in Selmer but he was livin’ in an old farm house outside of Counce. I asked him where he was coming from and he said he was working in Kentucky doin’ some road construction. That the job was temporary and he was coming on closer to his family. I officially welcomed him to the area and told him if he needed to go straight to his new home that I would give him a lift all the way there. He was really happy about that. We pulled over to get a sandwich cause he looked real hungry. Bullet was real thankful for the hospitality.

He told me how to get to his house and I knew exactly where it was at. This bus driving makes me very familiar with the roads. When we pulled in the driveway I saw that this house was a wreck. I mean he was going to have to do some work to get this place to living condition. He thanked me for the lift and asked for my name again and address. I gave it to him and asked if there was something else I could do. He said that I could take him back a couple miles where he saw this pick up truck for sale. So I did.

He went to the front door and this nice young man came out and gave Bullet a good look at this truck. The man said he wanted $1500 for it. I was figuring that I would be giving Bullet a ride back to his house. Instead, he pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and paid the guy. I asked him why he didn’t buy a car up in Kentucky and save himself the walk. He mentioned that his Father was a walker and he wanted to see how it felt as long as he had the time. He told me that he was fine and thanked me again for my hospitality.

Almost three weeks goes by and I see this pickup truck at the diner and I decided I was going to say hello. I knew that Bullet had to be exhausted from working on that house. I went in and didn’t believe my eyes. He was all shaved with a new haircut. He was cleaned up real good. He mentioned that when I get a chance, to come out to the house and see him.

So yesterday I decided to drop by and see Bullet and I couldn’t believe my eyes. That old torn up house is now beautiful. He has painted the house and the 2 barns and has cleaned up around the place so it really looks great. I was so impressed! I told Bullet, who was getting me an iced tea, that the place looks great. I mentioned that he cleaned up real good. The day I gave him a ride here, he looked like he was in his sixties. He told me that he was turning 50 next week. I asked if he got permission to paint the place from his landlord and he told me that the house was his family place and that it was his now and he was glad to be home.

Well, as I was riding home, I thought about making first impression judgements about people and how it’s not always as it seems. Bullet made me see that underneath that scruffy man was a generous and totally different human being. At my age, I’m still learning about people and what a great world we live in.