The Bus Brigade

Okay, so school was out...what? A week ago for most kids, two weeks ago for others.

The school buses had the shortest hiatus on earth, only to reappear in the last two days.

Today is my two younger children's first day of day camp. We stood outside the house with the dog, waiting for the Camp Eitan bus.

"I see it down the street!" yells Noam.

A bus nears.

Nope. It's a Camp Robin Hood bus...and passes us by.

"There it is!" yells Adina.

The bus nears.

Nope. It's a Lubavitch Camp bus...and passes us by.

A mini school bus passes in the other direction. Might it be ours? Maybe camp enrollment from our area is down and we've downsized to a minibus...?

Nope. The bus doesn't slow dow. It's a Camp Green Acres bus.

Finally a bus comes our way. No fancy names or decorations on the bus. But a familiar face of the bus driver whom these kids have had for the past few years during their camp sojourn. The bus slows, the doors open, greetings and goodbyes are exchanged...and my kids are off to camp!

I take Max our dog for a walk when the kids are gone. Throughout our neighborhood, outside lovely homes, you see parents standing with their children or nannies standing with their charges. All are doing what we did -- waiting for that big -- or little! -- orange/yellow schoolbus to transport these children to day camps.

This scene happens in the morning between 8-9:30; between 3:30-5:00 in the afternoon, the scene will be in reverse, as parents and nannies stand outside the homes, waiting for the schoolbuses to drop off children.

The pattern will repeat itself from Monday through Friday...

Tomorrow, big boy/bar mitzvah boy Avi, is off to overnight camp for the first time. I don't think it'll be a big orange/yellow schoolbus we'll be looking for in the shopping center's parking lot where he gets dropped off. A comfy, coach bus ought to do the trick!

May all these buses drive safely throughout the summer, transporting their precious cargo to and from camps and summer programs.