Taking The School Bus To Work

For the past couple of weeks, I've been taking a school bus to work.  During parking lot construction at work, employees who don't have to leave during the day are asked to park at another location and ride the school bus shuttle to work.  We end up parking about a mile and a half away under the "Condom On A Stick" better known as the Blaine water tower.  This is an inconvenience to be sure but it's just for 3 weeks.  I haven't ridden a school bus for a long time.  Even my short legs have trouble fitting in the seats.  I never thought my red lunch bag was big until I tried to pull it between the aisles on a school bus.  I was hoping that this bus riding experience would allow me to get to know some of the other workers in our building.  I have started a few conversations but the bus riders most stay in their own cliques just like in school.  On our morning bus, the first 6 rows have assigned seats.  There are names posted above the windows.  I usually sit in Ismael's seat. All the names that are posted are boy's names.  I wonder if these are the trouble makers on the bus.  Also posted are the bus rules.  When I rode a bus in Morris, MN the one rule posted on the bus was "No Sunflower Seeds."  This bus in Blaine has six rules.  1.  Listen to your driver.  2. At railroad crossings, be quiet. (Oddly worded, don't you think?)  3.  Stay in your seat.  4.  Do not throw anything.  5.  At your stop, wake up any sleeping children and tell the driver.  6.  Tell the driver if you are being bullied.  I like the fact that it is a rule to tell if you are being bullied.  That is pretty cool.  I look forward to the day the parking lot is expanded, resurfaced and painted but for now, I take the school bus to work.