When I went Elementary school, I
rode the public bus. For the most part, it was the worst experience of my life.
Bumpy rides for 30 minutes with no air conditioning are not my cup of tea, yet
as bad as it was, there was a diamond in the rough. Muhammad, an angel sent
from heaven (to say the least) did the most for everyone while asking nothing
in return.
The things he went through every day
are things no one should have to experience. He stood up to bullies. He broke
up countless fights. He somehow kept his cool while 8 year olds mocked him for
his Russian accent. Even so, he had an unbreakable spirit to. Every morning he
greeted the kids with a sincere smile on his face.
There’s one story that sticks with
me the most. I think it really shows what he was about. You see, I live in a
relatively new neighborhood, and when I first started going to school, the bus
stop was six blocks away from my house. For the most part, it was not that bad,
but in the winter, it was a treacherous journey for five-year-old Mariano. For
those of you who are thinking “Stop being so dramatic,” well no, I will not
stop, but also keep in mind it was a new neighborhood, and there was no one in
the area to clean up the snow from the sidewalks.
After a while he noticed my daily
struggle to catch the bus without catching fever. He told my mom “If you want a
better bus stop, just email my supervisor, but don’t tell them it was me. I don’t
have the authority to tell you this.” He put his job on the line for just to help out some
kid, who does that? Thanks to his act of kindness, I avoided getting hypothermia
in grade school. So thank you Muhammad, I may never see you again and be able
to thank you for everything. All I know is that you are somewhere out there
making the world a better place.
This post is different than the other ones I've read so far. Some of the blogs are very light-hearted, some constantly play up their humor, some blogs try to invoke some deep emotion. But your's is different- simply spreading positivity with this simple, yet touching story. This post inspires me to be a better person. Muhammad will live in our hearts forever.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I wanted to copy paste a "when he thanks the bus driver" meme but the website didn't allow me to :///
This is an engaging post reaching back into your distant memory to appreciate a great bus driver. (It's particularly appropriate here on Labor Day weekend!) I like your final anecdote, but I'd love to hear the middle of the story, as well. Presumably your mom emailed and they moved the bus stop or added another one, but it would be interesting to hear the details as you recall them. It's a nice touch that you recall the driver's name.
ReplyDeleteI know I'm a bit behind on the comments but I have to say I really liked this post. Buses are always happening places and bus drivers can be fascinating people. It's always good to hear about a bus driver going out of their way to be helpful.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this bus driver influenced you to become a nice person as well. This bus driver is a real one. A nice bus driver was also steering the wheel when I was in elementary school. I've always respected these bus drivers for their calm and collected attitude. Also, stop being so dramatic. Great post.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story to highlight the importance of individuals that all to often go under-appreciated. I loved your tone, and how warm the memory was. It almost felt like listening to a wise person direct my moral compass.
ReplyDelete