School is back in, and as I drive down the road in the almost pre-dawn hours, I am reminded of those formative mornings spent waiting for my bus. My bus stop was in my neighbourhood, and several kids gathered there daily.
And we all had to pass the time, waiting for the bus.

How to Wait for the School Bus:

1. Try to cram in 5 chapters of reading
Somehow, we thought that it was possible to cram in a week’s worth of reading as we waited. When the bus finally arrived, we would get ticked at the bus driver and display our anger with indifferent glances as she watched us in that giant mirror-thing (shudder).

2. Get in a fight
One of my dear childhood friends arrived one morning with a roll of quarters in his fist. He asked if we wanted to see him punch Mike. We of course agreed with his proposition. When an oblivious Mike walked up, my buddy quickly picked a fight and landed several well-placed blows to Mike’s nose causing it to bleed severely. I am certain that it was an amazing ride to school that morning for Mike.

3. Smoke a cigarette from a 2 week old pack of Marlboros
The best way to say, “I am cool and I have an older sibling,” is to casually pop a dry cig between your lips while talking about an episode of “Inspector Gadget.”

4. Eat a Pop Tart and laugh while talking about the TV in your room, your Nintendo, your boat and your Transformers
I have to say that nothing killed me more than this one. I always wanted Pop Tarts for breakfast, but alas, we could only afford Toast ‘Ems.

5. Warm your hands in the exhaust of the bus
Hey man, it was the freaking dead of winter in Ohio. When you didn’t have gloves, you had to improvise (side effect included wreaking of diesel all day).

How did/do you spend time at the bus stop?