On the Right Track...: I was Touched...

I was touched today...

moved by the sheer spontaneous gesture and words of someone...

It's rather simple actually...

Most would think nothing of it...

Some wouldn't even take the time to acknowledge it...

A few even chuckled at me...

It's the small things in life that literally take hold of my heart and find ways to open it...

rattle it...

awaken it...

and sometimes... truly break it.

here's my story...it's not a running one, but one that has my heart heavy tonight...and I was touched.

I met a man, a much older man, a few months back...He was a plain old gentlemen with a plain old job.

A job that most people would NEVER want to do...

would NEVER even consider...

would NEVER have the patience for.

Now, keep in mind this was a second job...one after retiring from his first profession...but nonetheless, a job not held high in society or deemed "important" or "worthy" in many eyes.

He simply drove a bus...a school bus.

Every day he would be the first bus to arrive...waiting patiently for all the others to come...and he would sit, and talk to the children...and tell them stories of how he was born in Italy...and raised in Brooklyn.

He still carried a very thick Italian accent...and it moved the children. You could tell...because they were always listening, and always engaged...even while they sat and waited. I loved to just listen to his sweet sound, and watch his gestures as he spoke. His hands would fly about and move with him.

you see, I have morning bus duty every day...and my station was at the front of the line...where his bus sat.
We would always greet one another, and we would always talk and chat about typical things.

the weather

the weekend

the kids

the students

the holidays

vacations...

the more we talked, the fonder we became. He was full of life and full of wisdom. He would always come off his seat and travel down the steps just to say good morning and wish me a good day. He was a man short in stature so was about my height...and he would look straight into my eyes as he spoke.

He had a twinkle in those eyes that I couldn't resist...

I would watch him genuinely and passionately speak to all the children as they got off the bus...one-by-one..never a temper, never a cold word, never a roll of the eyes or even a small sign that "kids today aren't like what they used to be". he seemed very content and happy.

He respected them

and they in return...respected him...

imagine that!

This morning he seemed "overly anxious" to chat with me. He wanted to know what I got for Valentines Day...and when I said nothing, he seemed bothered by that.

I told him that Dave and I didn't need "Hallmark" to tell one another how we felt ...this week was hectic...doctor's appt's...PT...kids with sports...work, etc.

But, then come the day, we both regretted not doing more for each other. So, I told my friend that we had decided to have a "do-over" for Valentines Day, this Saturday...tomorrow.

He grinned and asked me if I was happy, and told me how important it was to show love...and be loved.

He told me that life is short, and life is unpredictable, and to live it now before I grow old.

He spoke of his deceased wife, and his sadness, and how much he missed not living with her when she was still around

he wanted to travel the world...make the most of what he had left...with someone he cared about.

then...

He gathered a more serious expression and looked me straight in the eye.

He told me I was special.

he told me I was a beautiful person.

he told me I was different,

He told me I was full of life.

He told me it was obvious...and that it showed from everywhere.

and I was touched...

He told me I wouldn't see him anymore. He wouldn't be back. Today was his last day. He explained he was moving...to Arizona... where he had another house. He said he was only telling me, and that he couldn't just leave without. He said itmade his day to see me every morning for 10 minutes. He asked me if I would come out in the afternoon...at dismissal...so he could say goodbye...

I thought about him all day in school.

I walked outside this afternoon right before the children were dismissed. His bus was there, first again... I walked right onto the bus and gave him a handful of kisses...the "Hershey" kind... and he laughed out loud!

He gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

He took out a picture of his girlfriend and beamed as he spoke of her. He showed me pictures of his sons, and his grandchildren. I asked him if he emailed...but he just smiled and didn't say anything...he just shook his head, and put his wallet away.
He got right in my face, and told me if he were younger, and I was single...he'd carry me off and marry me...and it tickled me...
when the children were loaded...and he got in his seat, he looked at me before he closed the door. His eyes were full and his expression sad, but happy at the same time. I waved goodbye to him...

the last thing he said to me was...

"You be happy...you live a good life, and make sure you are always be happy!"

he blew a kiss...closed the door... and drove away.

and that's my story.

and I am sad

this afternoon at 3:35 I said goodbye to "my friend." I know it sounds silly...but he was my friend...

and I will miss him dearly.

He made me smile...he made me question...he made me reflect... he made me feel good...

all about the small things in life...the little, yet BIG things...

the ones that hold all the importance and purpose in your heart.

It's a strange feeling knowing that you will never see someone again...

ever again...for the rest of your life.