The School Bus

The Final Chapter



With the afternoon fading away, and with end of day traffic picking up, the intersection of Rapids Street and Pebble Avenue now took on the appearance of a town twice the size of Red River Valley.

As they had for nearly two hours, patrol cars from Precinct 5, by their mere presence continued to announce to all passing vehicles that something was wrong in the normally quiet gated community that was home to the Sims family.

Having driven to the school and then retracing the bus route to the neighborhood, Jim Sims now found himself back where he had started. Getting out of the car, Sims approached his wife Joyce and hugged her as she stood next to Sergeant Anderson. "What the heck is going on? what is this about the driver having a child abuse record?" Sims asked Anderson.

"It's doesn't appear to be anything to worry about" answered Sergeant Anderson. "We've got some people checking into what happened but for now it really seems to be a marital issue between the driver and his former wife. Unfortunately, as is often the case, it seems that the drivers daughter got caught up in the mess."

Having answered the question asked of him, Sergeant Anderson then stepped away to get an update from his junior officers that had left the bus stop earlier and were now at the school from where the bus had left earlier. "Tell me what you got" demanded Anderson as he spoke to officer Mark Sayer. "Sir, I've just finished talking to several teachers and the school administrators. I think we can say without question that the youngster did get on the bus." "We have witnesses that say he was the last child to get on and was seen sticking his head out of the window as the bus began to pull out."

"10-4, thanks" replied Anderson walking to rejoin other officers as they sat in their patrol cars to begin the paperwork required to record the events that had taken place over the past hour. "Get your ass out of that car right now!" shouted Anderson. "We've got a missing child and all you're worried about is paperwork!" With that, the junior officers slammed their metal notebooks closed and quickly jumped from the cars. "Sir" responded one of the officers. "Orders Sir?"

Knowing that as the Officer in Charge, he would himself would be judged by the days events, Anderson then gave his officers an order that he now realized he should have given an hour earlier. "I want one of you to take each side of the street and knock on every house's door." "Find out who saw what and when." Without waiting for further instruction, the junior officers from the Red River Valley Police Department quickly dispatched and headed down Pebble and Rapids streets to carry out the order.

"Oh my GOD, here comes the bus" said Joyce Sims as she looked down the street to see bus 127 approaching the intersection. Having overheard the comments, Channel 3 "On The Spot" reporter Jennifer Hadley sprang into action as she pointed to her camera crew and told them to begin filming. "5,4,3,2,1.. This is Jennifer Hadley" she began using a countdown common with reporters as they begin a report that would most likely be edited and viewed at a later time. Continuing, Hadley said, "we can now see the bus involved with the missing 3rd grader Wil Sims." "It has now completed it's route and is returning to the intersection where I am standing." In a now more excited tone, Hadley added, "the bus is being driven district driver Shawn Charlton." "Also on board, is Red River Valley Police Officer Fain." "CUT..." said Hadley as she lowered her microphone and directed her camera crew to move from their current stance and led them into the street.

"Give me a break Jennifer" yelled Sergeant Anderson as he saw Hadley and her crew step into the street. "What are you trying to do get hit?" he asked in a voice that told her in no uncertain terms that she had overstepped her boundaries and would more then likely lead to further rebukes by Sergeant Anderson. "Somebody get these people back" shouted Anderson to officers on the scene.

"Everybody get back" repeated Sergeant Anderson as both Joyce and Jim Sims now stepped off of the sidewalk in what appeared to be an attempt to approach and board the bus before it had come to a complete stop. Slowly coming to a stop, the bus door opened to show Officer Fain standing on the steps in front of a nervous looking Shawn Charlton.

"Alright Mr. Charlton, we need to talk, come with me please" said Sergeant Anderson in a direct and firm tone. Not missing a beat, News 3's Hadley snapped, "roll tape" as she reached her microphone into the open door and asked, "what do you know about this missing student?"

Before Charlton could answer, Sergeant Anderson yelled at full voice, "what in the hell does that idiot think he's doing!" Looking beyond the bus, and around the long line of cars that had now backed up the intersection, Anderson was dumbfounded at what he saw. Driving in the middle of the street, weaving about traffic and heading in their direction was a vehicle known to all. Although out of place at this hour of the day, there was no mistaking the red, white and blue colors of a the post office truck and the U.S. Mailman.

"Get this, get this" directed reporter Jennifer Hadley as she positioned her camera crew to film the mail truck as it continued to close in on the bus and police cars at the intersection. "Oh my GOD, it's Wil" cried Joyce Sims as she peered into the mail truck as it pulled to a stop. "It's Wil, it's Wil" she repeated as she rushed to the door that had been opened by mailman. Reaching into the mail delivery truck, Joyce Sims now wept openly as she hugged her son Wil and sobbed, "Wil, where have you been, you had us so worried." "Oh, I love you so much" she added as she squeezed her son even harder while be joined by his father Jim.

Sensing the seriousness of events, mailman Tyler Matlow quickly pounced from the truck. Looking around at the police officers, Wil, his parents, bus driver Shawn Charlton and the news crew that was now pointing a camera and microphone directly at him, Matlow couldn't help but smile as he began to speak.

"I had the feeling something was wrong about an hour ago." "I was a few blocks back into the neighborhood when I noticed the young boy walking on the sidewalk on my route, almost as if he was following me." Continuing to add to the story, the mailman added, "I finally stopped to ask the boy if he was lost and needed help getting home." "He didn't have much to say at first and then when he began to cry, I knew he was lost." Matlow then told the crowd that he was unable to determine the the boys address because the Sims family had a post office box which caused him not to be familar with the famalies last name or house.

"Heck, right or wrong, I've been driving all through the neighborhood hoping the boy could show me the way to his house" continued the postman as he relayed that when he turned the corner and saw the police cars he knew that this must be related to Wil Sims whom he had picked up a few miles back.

"Wil, son, we're so glad you're safe" said Jim Sims as the tension and fear raced out of his body and was filled with pure relief and joy. "But tell us what happened son, how did you get on the mail truck?"

Not really understanding what his actions had put his parents, the police and the school district through, Wil then explained for all of Red River Valley by way of Channel 3 News where he had been.

"I was having fun on the bus with friends and wasn't paying attention I guess" began Wil. "I got off the bus when it stopped and I couldn't find my house." "So" continued Wil, "when I started walking, I saw the mailman and I know that since he drives by our house everyday I just decided that I would follow him until I got home."

Now laughing and crying at the same time, Wil's mom again hugged and kissed her son. Joyce then reached to hug the mailman and thanked him for taking care of Wil as he had done. "It's my pleasure" said the postal driver before shaking hands with Jim Sims and Sergeant Anderson and getting back into his truck to return to the post office.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but it's good to see a story that ends by putting a smile on your face" said Sergeant Anderson as he too shook hands with the Sims family and said, "let's go home everyone, let's go home."


The End

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