Bus Stop

Children at the Bus Stop, early in the morning.

I drive past while I drop off Weslee.  We decided to drive this morning, so we could chat at breakfast and talk about last night's basketball game, and Alabama's win, again, in the College game.
"Weslee, you need to play at the beginning of the game, like you played at the end.  You were on FIRE!"
"I was mad."
"Well, get mad at the beginning!  Think about this loss, and play like that at the BEGINNING of the next game, not when you just have a minute left."
"Notre Dame lost."
"UhHun..."
"Cincinnati's coach is there now."
"I do like their quarterback."
"UhHun..."
"They will probably investigate Alabama now, since they won three times in a row, for violations in recruiting."
"Oh,..."
And so the conversation jumps, from post to pole, from basketball to baseball, to football, and back...

"Hurry in to school, Wes, so you're not late!"  He runs off.

On the way home I drive past a neat single file of three children, eyes left, silently searching for a bus, backpacks on straight, hats and feet neat.  Next to them stand a single file line of their guardians, looking to the bus, also attired properly.  I drive to the next stop sign where the next group waits.

A group of children talks with animation and motion.  They are walking and busy thinking.  Backpacks are on the sidewalk, in the snow, on the grass.  There are no parents to be seen.  Maybe they are watching from the inside of the houses, since it is a cold day.  Maybe they are already at work, it is almost eight o'clock.

At the next stop sign is one young man.  He has flung his backpack onto the grass, with no hat or gloves on, but has both hands on the cold stop sign,  shaking it.  No, he is trying to tear it down.  It will not move, and he is getting angry.  His caretaker, standing in slippers and a robe, is puffing on a cigarette, looking, praying for the bus to come, get this child off to school so she can get back into a warm house.

Bus Stops, the beginning of a school day;  PREDICTORS of a school experience?