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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The Slice

He had no idea anyone was watching him

Yesterday afternoon, while riding my bike home after work, I found myself behind a yellow school bus.

We were a few blocks from the Albertsons at 37th and Grand.

The bus stopped on a side street and a girl wearing a pink coat got off. She looked like a middle schooler.

As she quickly headed up the walk to the house, the bus driver got out of the bus and watched her progress.

The girl appeared to be a special needs kid.

The driver, a guy who might have been about 50, had a white/silver ponytail. He watched so intently you would have thought he was staring at a make-or-break poker hand.

There was simply no way he was going to leave before he knew that girl was safely inside.

Then, as the girl was about to get to the house, someone from inside opened the door.

The driver saw this and waved to the person. Then he got back on the bus.

I doubt there are any official protocols requiring that the driver get off the bus like that. I suspect he does it just because he cares about the kids who ride with him.

The bus pulled away and I kept pace at first. I hoped to catch up and salute the driver. Not sure what I would have said.

But in a moment, the bus was gone.

I thought about that driver last night. I hope there are people in his life who remind him that he is a good guy.

He wasn't some actor in a feel-good commercial about "community."

He's the real thing.



The Slice

The online home for Paul Turner's musings and interactions with disciples of The Slice.