The day before the very last day of school I got caught climbing through the ceiling of A.T. Mahan, the Junior High/High school on the NATO base we were stationed at in Keflavík, Iceland. The next day I was in trouble so I decided that instead of going to class I would hide out and ride the Bus around all day and see for myself where it went.
I hid in the very back seat and pulled up my legs while everybody else got out at school. No one noticed me and off we went! The Bus then turned into the Base Bus , people got off and on for an hour or so but no one went to the back so I stretched out and was finally able to sit like a human. Somehow the driver didn't notice. After going around the Base a few more times the last person got off and I hid again. It turned out there was a depot where the bus refueled in the middle of the day. I remained hid in the back til the driver was gone and the Bus was silent. Then I slipped down the aisle, down the stairs and out the open door. Outside and some yards away parked in a line next to each other were Four Amphibious assault vehicles left over from WW2 ! When the coast was clear I ran all the way across the pavement of the depot past the military Jeeps, snow plows, security trucks and climbed on board the first boat with wheels I saw!
The next half an hour I was John F Kennedy on the PT 109, Then I was landing my men in Normandy! Then my Dad on Patrol in Vietnam! It was awesome! I was even a Space ship captain for a second until I noticed people moving by the bus! I still do not know how they didn't see me, but, all the service men were always friendly to kids, maybe they laughed as I jumped from seat to seat and pulled on the big guns, I'll never know and I'll never forget that afternoon. When it was all clear again I snuck back on the Bus and assumed my hiding place behind the last seat .
It was time for it to pick up the High school Kids and take them to the Youth Center. I tried to hide from them but they found me! I thought I was gonna get picked on but the biggest kid told everyone to shut up and not say anything in German. The guys patted me on the back and the girls hugged me and made me blush , then laughed at how cute I was. They all told me I was there hero, it was cool that I had skipped school, and everyone wondered where the bus went ! I was now officially a High School Kid! I made many pals it was fun and strange. In Iceland the kids were from all over the world and different languages flew around in the laughter. The big German kid had a small AM Radio. Suddenly the bus stopped and the driver was on his way to the back to see what all the commotion was! The kid put his radio in my hand motioned me to turn it down, and shoved my whole body under his seat! Footsteps came closer then "You Kids please keep it down ..Back here? This is not a Party bus!" he went back to the front and sat down. His eyes darted like a lighthouse beam shining through the mirror and scanning the back. I was smooshed under the seat. The radio cupped in my hands to keep it quiet, as the bus started back on it's way the engine noise allowed me to loosen my grip. In that bumpy moment, I heard the name... Beth? .. from in my hands.."Beth I hear you callin , but I can't come home right now..." I loosened my grasp unconsciously to listen. I imagined my Beth laughing and in love with me..she cried as I stayed out late being a Rockstar..so sad she missed me... The big German boy kicked me " Hey Mr Kiss fan keep it down und give me My Vireless! Soon we vill be leaving you! Don't come out til we're gone! Bye Bye Stranger Bus rider, say hello vhen yous sees us in School!" He gave me Five, pulled the radio out of my hands and turned it off. The bus stopped, my head hit the bottom of the chair, and they were gone.
The song echoed in my mind as the door closed and we drove away. It was a long while that we drove up and down hills, around corners, then stopped in front of the school . I heard the doors open. A cacophony of kids filled narrow corridor between seats of the long bus like an auditory fireworks display, bouncing off the metal of the ceiling and vinyl of the beneath. I was going to stay hidden, but through it all,I heard her voice. She was sitting in the front, she was laughing, it made me smile as I pulled myself up into the backseat.
The kids had just reached the back, that was where that Jerk," Mr Cool" Brian Skinner sat. There was a reason I didn't play Football with the American kids and he was it! When i tried to play he would come up behind me and grab the back of my pants leg so I fell flat on my face. Now he was staring at me with that familiar shit eating smirk" Hey Stink Bomb! What's your loser Flat face doing here?! Get out!!" He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me into the aisle. The Bus lurched forward as he sat down , I almost fell. I steadied myself on the back of the seats and the bus driver yelled "Sit down you dummy you want to get hurt?!" All I cared about was Beth not see me, I sat down immediately next to Blond Jon. He was oblivious, but moved over without incident. (Norwegians always seemed to be thinking about something else . He was a cool guy, I knew because I saw him out at the dump one day.) I sat there for a long time, waiting for each stop. Waiting for Beths' Stop,. I had been riding all day, I had fought in World War Two on Amphibious Assault, and I now I was cool with the High School Kids! I could definitively talk to her! Sure it was the last day of school but, I was ready! Brian brained me from behind as he passed by on his way off the bus, " Hey Stupid !! Why don't you get off at your own stop!? Jerk !" I kept my head down and let him leave. Jon shook his head at the whole affair, shook my hand oddly officially before he got off at the next stop. A loud bunch of younger kids left out after him. Only three more stops! I had to move now! I jumped up like I was going to get off but ended up right behind her. I could hear Beth talking to Lilly about how stupid Brian was. The Bus doors opened , Lily stood up," See you tomorrow Elizabeth! Do Not forget to call me!" One more Stop! I had to act immediately! I swung around the seat and Plopped down right next to her! She rolled her eyes and moved sideways to give me room. Her shiny long black hair smelled like Vanilla, her skin was smooth and brown, her eyes were dark, deep, and amused. They reflected the sun that shined from the side of the sky. In Iceland it's always afternoon. Smiling she turned towards the window. I had to say something ! I may be a Flat nosed stink Bomb, but I had to say something her stop was coming up! I knew I could make her laugh, I was a funny Flat nosed Stink Bomb , Brian couldn't take that away! I hoped she didn't see him humiliating me! Maybe she'd heard about me getting in trouble- Maybe i was stinking right now? Mom said I was handsome , all I had to do is say something funny. I nervously turned to her, she was majestic . More majestic than any princess or Puffin Bird, or any Gypsy girl on her way home. The Bus stopped! Oh Crap it was her stop! She stood up! I was stunned , confused I had to speak ! I had to.. "BETH !!" She turned to me , "What is it Rodger?" Beautiful the way she spoke my name, MY name! I stammered .." ..I hear you calling...But I can't ..come home ...right now!" I smiled like a stuffed animal at the circus. She laughed, " Rodger you are famously funny!" she turned," Have fun with the boys!" Beth laughed as she stepped down the stairs, off the Bus, and out of my life.
I watched her walk for a long time, but my neck cramped. Finally, turned back around when the bus driver spoke. "Hey! You gonna be ok?" I tried to hear him as my heart fell and fell and fell through the floor as far as I know it's still falling. Amazing how hurt ,how strange it felt, like all the blood in my body, all the light everywhere disappeared. I couldn't lift my head. I was just a passenger, not on the Bus, in my body, I was just a passenger being tossed back and forth as the Bus rambled along in a weird part of Earth. My body lurched forward but I didn't fall. Last Stop. Bus driver turned to me " I know you don't live around here. You gonna be ok?" I awkwardly stood up, turned back and kind of fell out the door. I stood there outside i the cold wind of Iceland pushing me one way then another, but, I was stuck and staring up at the driver. He smiled, I remember now he was the age I am now. His eyes squinted as though they were saying, it's been a long ride we had today. I backed up."You'll be ok." The doors shut abruptly. Vast hills or rolling green an snow brushed stone were laid out before me as the Bus vanished from view. Its engine once a great heartbeat when I hid under the seat, now a fading lullaby. Ash still coated the surface of the snow and grass as I began my march home. The last day of school was over, the Sun was amazingly still beautiful. I dragged my little Heart over the lava rocks breathing in the arctic air. Beth I hear you calling ...
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