I called the school at 3, looking for my daughter. Who is four. And it was her first day of school. And the bus to school was a half-hour late picking her up.
The school secretary, whom I love, told me that Mini Me was still on the bus; I had missed her by 3 minutes. She put me through to the bus garage, where a guy named Ed controls the universe by CB radio. No answer.
I called the school back. The secretary said the bus was about 30 seconds from school, and could I just meet her there. Fine.
I got in the car, fuming, wondering why they didn't notify when I missed her and why I had to call them, instead.
I got to school just in time for them to load the busses for the older kids. Dodging kindergartners and zealous parents, I make my way to the office. No one's there but the staff.
"Well, where is she?"
The two secretaries, and the office assistant, exchange a three-way glance with big eyes.
"She must still be on the bus. It's parked [out in BF Egypt] by the basketball hoops."
I hit the roof.
I may have caused a scene.
I may have yelled at my favorite secretary.
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| Let's load up with four year-olds and not have a phone on the bus, and rely on a guy named Ed who may not be at the other end of the radio. Awesomesauce! |
I said I was very upset, and why didn't they call me the second she wasn't dropped off, and then I demanded to see the 4K bussing policy when I got back.
MM was fine on the bus, (which, by the way, telling a parent her kid is on a bus at the end of the day is like telling someone to go get you that specific grain of sand over there on the beach). She was there with the driver, while the big kids were loading.
The bus driver told me that she radioed to Ed, who notified the school, and the last she heard, they had called me.
Um, no such thing happened.
(She also told me about how MM would be dropped off at the end of the day, and it wasn't right, but I didn't have enough energy to deal with that issue. Disgruntled Husband dealt with that particular issue later.)
When we got back to the office, my favorite secretary told me she had dropped the ball, and she was supposed to call me. I asked why the bus driver didn't call. She said the drivers don't have phones, just the radio.
The radio. With Ed. Who wasn't there when I was transferred there at 3 p.m. Good plan, school district.
I have half a mind to buy a $10 pre-paid phone and give it to the driver.
Or, as my friend Dan pointed out, don't be late again.
If it means my school district will allow my four year-old to be unaccounted for and forgotten about, then yes, I suppose I won't be late anymore.
Lesson learned.
I'd be terrified if my kid was lost somewhere on a bus, happens to my sister-in-law at the beginning of every school year. About the phone, maybe the regulations state they can't have one? I know a few years back in NC there were several bus accidents because bus drivers were talking on their phones and texting while driving.
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