I drove the Juab High School Marching Band to Lagoon last week. Lagoon is an amusement park in Utah. The band wasn’t there to perform; it was there to play. The amusement park was a reward for all the early morning practices and the many long, hot, hot, (did I say ‘hot’ yet?) parades.
Driving the Lagoon trip is a long day for the bus driver starting around 8 am and ending at midnight. I wasn’t scheduled to drive this trip initially. I requested it when my sons reminded me that they were in the band and would be going. My youngest son indicated in a roundabout way that he hoped I would be there to go on some of the scarier rides with him. I wanted to be there for him.
When we arrived the band director organized the kids into groups and assigned them chaperones to check-in with. Both my sons were assigned to groups. They ran off happily with their friends. I found myself on my own. I considered feeling sorry for myself, but then decided it was too nice a day for that. It was good knowing my boys were having a good time even if I wasn’t at the center of it. Besides, I am an avid people watcher and Lagoon is full of fascinating people.
I rode a few rides alone, but the ride I always enjoy most is the Skyride. It’s just a chair lift that carries you from one end of the theme park to the other. The fun part is that it takes you up to sixty feet above the ground and you float through the tree tops. I love the peace and quiet of the ride and the bird’s eye view. I also love the momentary contact with those individuals riding the other direction. For a moment it’s just you and them. It’s hard not to make eye contact.
“Hello, Sir,” one twelve year old girl said. An eight year old boy smiled and waved at me.
The most fun was when two young girls caught my eyes by giving me the fist-on-hand Rock, Paper, Scissors challenge sign. I took the challenge and lost. Not a word was said, but we exchanged smiles. Playing Rock, Paper, Scissors with complete strangers while passing each other sixty feet in the air brings me a joy.
At different times groups of the marching band recognized their bus driver from below and waved as they called out to me. I’ve driven these kids on other trips many times before.
It was in the afternoon that I ran into my son and his friends. Story had yet to find the courage to ride any of the big roller coasters. When he ran into me he said he was ready if I would come along. I was more than happy to be a part of the group. We rode Wicked first. It shoots you straight up. You go over the top and then go straight down. Then it’s on to tips and turns and a few rolls. After conquering that ride he was ready for all the other big rides. He couldn’t be stopped. I rode a few more rides with him until he didn’t need me anymore. I saw him in passing once or twice paired up with a female friend his age. He’s thirteen. I was happy to see him relaxed and having fun with a girl.
My older son, who has always hated the crowds at Lagoon, had a blast this time. It was some good band friends that made all the difference. I only glimpsed him once or twice the whole day. He was all smiles.
At 10 pm I went to the bus and waited. The kids arrived in twos and threes and fours exhausted, happy. It was a two hour drive home, but I didn’t mind. When I tell people I’m a school bus driver I see it in their eyes, How do you put up with those horrible kids? Let me tell you, the majority of them are not horrible. All the happy smiles and hellos I got in passing during the day, the thank yous as they got off the bus that night, make for a pleasant experience.
__________________________________________________________________________________
These books by Tory Anderson are now available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback format:
