Magic School Bus

In my experience, it's never good when you pick up the phone in the middle of the school day and hear your third-grader's voice saying, "Hi, Mom!"

Instantly, the Maternal Worry Radar starts. What could it be? Bellyache? Another Head Lice False Alarm?

"What's the matter, buddy?"

"There's no choir today."

(pause)

"I didn't know there was choir today."

(pause)

"There isn't."

"OK, I guess I'll see you at the bus stop then! Love you, buddy!"

"Bye, mom."

I'm thinking he was fishing for a car ride home, but oh well...my tax dollars are paying for school buses for my two school-aged children and only one of them has been getting a bus ride this week*, so the one who does have a bus to ride is going to ride the thing!

(For some reason, the Transportation Office of our public school district can't get it together and send Middle Sister's bus. She is freaking out--she's a freshman, and the bus is not coming each morning, and she's standing out there for 30 minutes waiting for it. Yesterday's excuse was, "We thought her school started on Thursday!" Well, today's Thursday, and there was still no bus. And I couldn't call to complain, because the office is closed for the Jewish holiday.)