"Reading The Signs"

I believe if most successful bus drivers were to trace their ancestry, they would find they are descendants of trackers. You know the ones you see in the old westerns that look at the ground and can tell how many horses came this way and one was carrying a one legged man with a patch over his left eye or put their hand in the coals of an old campfire tell you how long they've been gone and what they ate for supper. These are a few of the signs and their meaning on the old bus trail.

• Student pauses looks at you with extra-large smile: You are to notice missing teeth.
• Little girl swishes hair crossing the road: You are to comment on new haircut.
• Student pauses and looks down at feet: Compliment new shoes.
• Student looks at you with eyes wider than normal: New glasses.
• Student looks down at feet one foot forward: Needs help tying shoe.
• Boy that usually runs to the bus walks extremely slow to bus: Sister not ready Mom has told him to stall for time.
• Young student is always the last one off the bus at school each morning and always stops, looks  at you and grins: They need a hug before they go to class and they didn't want anyone else to know. Little boys often need for you to also pretend to punch them in the stomach or act like you're putting knots on their head.