School

Me, aged 13/14

I still remember the very first school run I did over 13 years ago. The children were horrified I wore trousers instead of a skirt. They even said it was 'ungodly'! They knew what my name meant (Bitter(ness)), but couldn't name the two bible books it came from (Exodus and the Book of Ruth). They were generally awful. 

The first two seasons I had a set group. I knew who was to be on board and who wasn't. I knew where they sat on the bus. I knew who left the dirty hankies at the side of the seat (I gave him a talking to I can tell you!). They were a great bunch of children. That was only in the mornings though. In the afternoon it was a free for all and I had some severe troubles then. I once even phoned the police, who then told me I needed to be doubly strict to get even half the result my male colleagues got! Great...

Over the years there have been ups and downs. A lovely chat with a boy who happened to catch me as I was leaving the school grounds. A girl who told me she loved being on my bus because 'it was so calm'. Returning to school within 2 minutes because they were doing I don't even recall what. The unending mess and occasional vandalism.

The last few years have been okay. The coaches are a thing of the past and we now use cattle trucks old articulated buses. I have aged a bit and as a result they seem to respect me a bit more, even if I am very strict. This morning a boy even came up to me and wished me 'good luck in Norway'. I don't know who he was, I don't know where he learned I was moving to Norway, I don't even know whether he was sincere, but it was nice nonetheless. He was also the only one, because the relationship I have with those children is not such that we would exchange things like that. 

It was my last school run today.