I'll warn you ahead of time, you may not want to read this.
Please don't ask me whose bus route I was on or what decade.
Here's what happened:
As always, the bus captains were under pressure to bring more and more kids on their buses. I was fortunate because my captain and his wife both rode the bus on Sunday morning.
It was my turn to go inside one of the buildings to make sure a child was ready to ride to Hammond.
On the way up the stairs, I encountered the little boy's teenage brother coming up the stairs, as well. He grabbed me and touched me in an inappropriate manner. I was in shock. I managed to get myself to the top of the stairs and ask if the little boy was coming to church. I can't remember if he did or not.
I walked back to the bus, sat down, stunned and speechless. The bus captain's wife was perceptive enough to ask me what was wrong. Since her husband, the bus captain, didn't know, he naturally inquired rather loudly to see if the little boy was going to church.
I must have just been staring straight ahead because he was clearly unhappy with my response. To his credit, when his wife told him, he came and apologized as I stared out the window for the rest of the trip.
It could have been much worse. I don't know why I'm telling it now, other than I have some anonymity since my name is not Jo.
I don't think of that event often, but when I do, even decades later, my heart still beats a little bit faster like I want to run.
I've never been impressed when others packed their buses totally full. I think it fed egos more than anything else.
Please don't ask me whose bus route I was on or what decade.
Here's what happened:
As always, the bus captains were under pressure to bring more and more kids on their buses. I was fortunate because my captain and his wife both rode the bus on Sunday morning.
It was my turn to go inside one of the buildings to make sure a child was ready to ride to Hammond.
On the way up the stairs, I encountered the little boy's teenage brother coming up the stairs, as well. He grabbed me and touched me in an inappropriate manner. I was in shock. I managed to get myself to the top of the stairs and ask if the little boy was coming to church. I can't remember if he did or not.
I walked back to the bus, sat down, stunned and speechless. The bus captain's wife was perceptive enough to ask me what was wrong. Since her husband, the bus captain, didn't know, he naturally inquired rather loudly to see if the little boy was going to church.
I must have just been staring straight ahead because he was clearly unhappy with my response. To his credit, when his wife told him, he came and apologized as I stared out the window for the rest of the trip.
It could have been much worse. I don't know why I'm telling it now, other than I have some anonymity since my name is not Jo.
I don't think of that event often, but when I do, even decades later, my heart still beats a little bit faster like I want to run.
I've never been impressed when others packed their buses totally full. I think it fed egos more than anything else.
