It was a cool August morning in the year of ought 9,
The day was on a Monday, I do believe.
For on that sunny day, there came into my life,
The Ride of Ghost Bus 1263.
A new school year was about to begin again,
As my friends and I stood in the bus waiting line.
Our parents were there for our first day of school,
Waiting for good old Bus 209
Our normal time pickup had soon elapsed,
All of the parents looked at their watches for the time.
Several other buses had passed us by,
But still no sight of Bus 209.
Just when our parents decided to drive us to school,
We heard a loud noise come down our quiet lane.
It echoed off the houses and the tall trees,
And all the neighborhood dogs barked to complain.
In the distance a shape soon emerged from the sound,
It looked so familiar, yet still so odd.
On the surface it looked like an old school bus,
But it made noises like a souped up hot rod.
Yellow in color, yet black as the night,
The exact shape of it’s form was up to debate.
Where once was a body made out of steel,
Now on the outside was mostly duct tape.
Approaching our stop, it made a quick turn,,
Then it stopped as it’s brakes began to wheeze.
On the side 209 was marked off in red paint, I think,
And replaced by a handwritten 1263.
The door slowly opened to expose a sight,
A combination of cloud and smoke.
All the kids just looked at each other,
As the Parents cried ” Is this a joke?”
But before another word was said,
A man descended from the steps of the bus.
He introduced himself as Bus Driver Bob,
But his name badge on his shirt read Gus.
He stood 6 foot tall with a patch on one eye,
And the other one had a tendency to roam.
His two front teeth had seen better days,
And I think his hair had never met a comb.
” Sorry I’m Late,” he said, ” I may have missed one or two turns.
Believe me, safety, is my first golden rule.
Now children get on board and see your friends,
You don’t want to be late for your first day of school.”
As he spoke to our parents to ease their fears,
In the bus window I saw my best friend Jimmy.
He looked rather scared as he pointed below,
To a bus window that read HELP ME!
I turned to my Mom, but before I had the chance to speak,
She patted my back and had this to say.
” It seems alright, now please get on board,
You don’t want to be late on your first day.”
As my friends and I slowly climbed the stairs,
The first thing to hit us was the air so mean.
It reminded me of the odor in our house,
After my little brother ate two cans of baked beans.
On the landing we stood, when the door quickly shut,
And we turned to meet the bus driver eye to good eye.
He then slid behind the wheel and said with a sneer,
” You better sit down. We’re going for a RIDE!!!!!!!”
” Hello all you newbie’s, my name is Bus Driver Bob.
Although my name spells it G-U-S.
Before I drop you in front of your school,
What say we give Ghost Bus 1263 a little test?”
We all found a seat and prepared for the ride,
As he popped the clutch into first gear.
To our parents we took off nice and slow,
Yet inside, it started to get weird.
It seemed we were on a roller coaster,
A Ferris wheel and fun house, all rolled into one.
The cushions came up and grabbed our legs,
And our window curtains unraveled to block out the sun.
The lights inside flickered as we bounced around,
And landed on the floor with a sinking feeling.
But before anyone had a chance to scream,
We all found ourselves stuck to the ceiling.
” I hope you all are enjoying the ride,
But check your backpacks, I have a little hunch.
When I roll this old bus around again,
One of you is going to lose their lunch.”
A sharp turn left , a hard turn right,
A drop down a forever hill.
Bus Driver Bib said, ” If this one won’t get you,
I guarantee the next one will.”
My best friend Jimmy turned to me and said,
” It was the same way before we got to you street.
The tossing, the turning, the rolling around.
Now I ask you, Is This Neat?”
I looked all around and the kids were all screaming,
Not in pain, but in thunderous joy.
What I thought was the worst day of my life,
Turned into the best one, boy oh boy.
” Faster and louder, do another loop” the kids said.
Make our hair stand straight up through our shirt sleeves.”
Then all the children chanted at once,
” Will you Bus Driver Bob, Pretty Please!!!!!”
Well Bus Driver Bob turned slowly around,
And carefully lifted the patch over his bad eye.
Slid it over to cover his good one,
As he said, ” I’ll give it a try.”
Just when he started to give it more gas,
To make all our hearts really pop.
The shades all rolled up and the sun came in,
And Bus Driver Bob yelled, ” This is your stop.”
” Check all around and under your seats,”
Shouted Bus Driver Bob with a voice of command.
” Things fly around when you’re up in the air,
But I’m afraid we are back on dry land.”
” Please stand in a line and let’s follow the rules,”
As Bus Driver Bob said, ” I hope to see you again real soon.
And maybe we can test this old baby out,
When I pick you up some afternoon.”
” But before you go, I have something to say
And I hope you take it to heart.
If you ever want to make good of yourself,
This school is the best place to start.”
” A good education can let you go far,
You can go a long way with a diploma seal.
And if you heed these words of advice,
I’ll make you a little deal.”
” If you apply yourself each and everyday,
And be the best that you can be.
On a future school day, I’ll make sure there is room for you
On Ghost Bus 1263.”
” So spread the word and tell all your friends at school,
For them the same deal applies.
If they show me that their doing their best,
I’ll give them one unforgettable ride.”
As the last kid slowly stepped off the bus,
We all turned around in a loud gasp.
When Bus Driver Bob closed the door,
The bus was gone, POOF, in a flash.
We looked at each other with a wide opened stare,
Was this real or was it all pretend?
It really didn’t matter much to us because,
We just couldn’t wait to tell our friends.
On that first day, the story was told through the halls,
It gained momentum from each ascending grade.
The school G.P.A. score raised over 200 points,
All that in just 21 days.
The teachers and parents were all mystified,
What could have caused this turnaround as a whole.
This was the first time in any county,
All the students made the Honor Roll.
True to his word, Bus Driver Bob reappeared,
His name badge still read G-U-S.
And the line of students wrapped around the school several times,
Where it ended was anybody’s guess.
One by one all the students climbed aboard,
One thousand and twenty four to be exact.
For such a tiny, duct taped old school bus,
Somehow they all found room in the back.
As the last one aboard, the door quickly closed behind me,
Bus Driver Bob turned to me with his patch over his good eye.
He turned to the newbie’s and said with a sneer,
” You better sit down, we’re going for a ride.”
And if so by chance, on the first day of school,
Bus Driver Bob appears on the scene.
Get on board and sit down, you won’t regret,
The Ride of Ghost Bus 1263.
