Flashback Friday #13

I'm a big boy now.

When I was going to elementary school, our neighbor watched us in the mornings after Mom & Dad left for work. She watched me & my brother, the three kids next door, and four more kids about a mile down the road. We all had a great time playing together in the mornings because our ages were so close. Nine kids in the morning was a sure way to make sure you were wide awake and ready to face the morning.

Since we all rode the bus to get to school, and the sitter's house was set back from the road on a small hill, one of us got to stand outside and watch for the bus. It was considered a great privilege. How did one get the privilege, you ask? Whoever did the sitter's dishes from the previous night, got to watch for the bus the next day. There were 5 boys, and 4 girls in the group, and the girls did most of the dishes, therefore got to watch for the bus more often. Then the family next door moved, and reduced the number of girls by half. Now there were 2 girls, and 4 boys.

In the school system where I grew up, elementary school was grades K-6, Jr. High was 7 & 8, and High School was 9-12. When I went into 3rd grade, my brother went into 7th. Since the Jr. High & the High School rode the same bus, his bus left earlier than mine. It would pick up all the 7-12 kids, drop them off, and begin the elementary route. Since the bus arrived moments after Mom & Dad left, my brother was allowed to stay at home to catch the bus. Now there were 3 boys and a girl at the babysitting neighbor.

Then tragedy struck. One day I went over to the neighbor's to wait for the bus, and there were no other kids there. "Where are the others?" I asked. "They moved away." I was told. It was only me, with last nights dishes waiting for me. I wanted no part of being the only child there (her kids had grown up and moved away years before). So I made up my mind. I didn't need a babysitter. I picked up my stuff while the sitter was in the bathroom and marched right back home. I kept a sharp eye out for the bus, and stood out by the road in plenty of time for the driver to see that I was at a different house. I told the driver that I would be getting on at my house from now on. (Pretentious wasn't I?)

When Mom & Dad got home, the sitter called and informed them that I went back home this morning. She watched as the bus came, and I got on. My parents asked why I did this. "I didn't want to be there by myself." "But your by yourself here." they reasoned. "Yes," I replied, "But this is my house, and I'm not afraid." So they let me (On a trial basis, I'm sure) stay home and catch the bus by myself. I never missed the bus, and I never had another babysitter. (Kids, don't try this at home, this is a far different world than what I grew up in.)