After20yearsasafull-timewifeandmotherIdecidedtobeaschoolbusdriverforIlovedkids.AfterhardpracticebythetimeschoolstartedthatyearI’dgottenthehangofit.Iwashappyinmynewwork

　　After20yearsasafull-timewifeandmotherIdecidedtobeaschoolbusdriverforIlovedkids.AfterhardpracticebythetimeschoolstartedthatyearI’dgottenthehangofit.Iwashappyinmynewwork.Ibecameacombinationchauffeurnurseandfriend.AndifthekidsneededitI’dputonmy“ToughBigSister”act.Itwasalotlikemypreviousjob---beingamom.

　　WhenIthinkaboutmyyearsofbusdrivingmanythingscrowdedinbutmostlyIrememberCharlie.

　　CharlieeightyearsoldwithblondhairandcrystallinegrayeyesbeganridingmybusinSeptemberofmyfourthyeardriving.Theyallhadstoriestotellmeabouttheirsummers.Charliethoughignoredme.Hedidn’tevenanswerwhenIaskedhisname.

　　FromthatdayonCharliewasatrial.IfafightbrokeoutIdidn’thavetoturnmyheadtoknowwhohadstartedit.IfsomeonewasthrowingspitballsIcouldguesstheculprit’sname.IfagirlwascryingchanceswereCharliehadpulledherhair.NomatterhowIspoketohimgentlyorfirmlyhewouldn’tsayaword.He’djuststareatmewiththosebiggrayeyesofhis.

　　IaskedaroundsomeandfoundoutCharlie’sfatherwasdeadandhedidn’tlivewithhismother.HedeservesmypatienceIthought.SoIpracticedeverybitofpatienceIcouldmuster.Tomycheery“GoodMorning”hewassilent.WhenIwishedhimahappyHalloweenhesneered.ManymanytimesIaskedGodhowIcouldreachCharlie.“I’matmywit’send.”I’dsay.StillIwassurethatthischildneededtofeelsomewarmthfromme.Sowhenhe’dpassbyI’drufflehishairorpathimonthearm.

　　Towardtheendofthatyearthekidsonmybusgavemeasmalltrophyinscribed“TotheBestBusDriverEver”.Iproppedituponthedashboard.OntopIhungasmalltinheartthatalittlegirlhadgivenme.Inredpaintshehadwritten“IlovePollyandPollylovesme.”

　　Onthenext-to-lastdayofschoolIwasdelayedafewminutestalkingtotheprincipal.WhenIgotonthebusIrealizedthatthetinheartwasgone.“Doesanyoneknowwhathappenedtothelittleheartthatwasuphere?”Iasked.Foroncewith39childrentherewassilence.

　　Oneboypipedup“Charliewasthefirstoneonthebus.Ibethetookit.”Otherchildrenjoinedthechorus“Yeah!Charliedidit!Searchhim!”IaskedCharlie“Haveyouseentheheart?”

　　“Idon’tknowwhatyou’retalkingabout”heprotested.S