The Yellow Bus

What is the first thing that struck your mind by reading the title – “the yellow bus”? Yes, our very favourite the school bus. These buses have some other stories. The stories that were created in the bus before and after the school as offcourse during the school you will be in the school premises! The bus memories are some added spicy masala to the main food that will make it even tastier whenever relished. Are you a college student like me? Who now have to travel in crowded public buses/trains? Or you are a school student, who still have the license to enjoy the travel! Or are you an office goer? who don’t have the time to travel back to those golden days? Or else you must be a retired person having a bunch of time to taste the past memories once again? This article is for all of you, let’s start reading it.

13 years of School Bus Journey in a small piece of write up! Oh god! Such an impossible task. But anyway, let’s pick up the spiciest of all. Antakshari ( battle of songs), the most favourite part of every journey. We, divided ourselves into two groups and used to start up with the war of songs. The tunes and music of each song turned into screamings and loud voices. Multiple times our Bus’ uncle shouted at us for screaming so loudly! We told “Sorry uncle!” and started again. Everyone participated in this game. In morning section — 1-5(classes) and in day section — 6-12 (classes) all of us used to enjoy Antakshari devoid our classes and ages. The game stopped only when most of the travellers reached their destination and dropped down from the bus.

Similarly, we had some more set of games like this, sometimes hand cricket, damsharaj and many more high school games. Games were the most favourite part of all the school students in bus. Hey! Did you also play such games? Must be! Another moments of excitement were also there such as, when there were some battle of words, I mean quarrels! Oh gosh, my most and most favourite part as I was a pro at wining quarrels all the time. My friends or seniors or juniors in my late years of my school days, when everyone got to know me, they at the very initial stage said sorry and stopped because if I start I won’t stop and eventually s/he will have to apologise! So why not at the very beginning?

Anyway, I might be good at battle of words but also my behaviour was good enough to be loved by my friends, juniors and seniors. When I was in class 7, two senior brothers used to travel in our bus, they were in 11. So, me along with my friends had the chance of travelling with those two brothers for 2 years. They treated us so well, as we were their small brothers and sisters. We used to hear a lot of stories from them about our school when we weren’t present there. The stories were yummy to digest but some 60% were made up, as I now realise. They wanted to proof themselves – “all known” and we also heard them with quite interest. As I am growing up, I am understanding the real fact. But anyway, they were too good and their stories were awesome to hear.

The environment of the bus used to change during the time of examinations. I hope that was the most enjoyed time of our Bus’ uncle and Bus’ driver. The whole bus maintained pin drop silence. Everyone used to dive in their books for those last minutes of preparation. The unity of us were really commendable, as if a class is just having exams and the rest were not, then also the bus students allowed them to study without disturbing that single class. That was surely our school’s credits as we learned from there that – United we stand, divided we fall.

We also celebrated birthdays of one and all. At that time, we didn’t have money to buy them gifts but we had our heart to wish them from beneath. All of us sang the birthday song mentioning that person. S/he gave us chocolates and that was our way of celebration. Small yet memorable. Yes! I can say that I had a beautiful bunch of co-travellers who made my journey really beautiful. All days didn’t go the same. Some days we had a bad time and some days good. The good times were so much in plenty that the bad days we just don’t remember. With a heavy heart we had to leave our buses as we passed out from schools. Everything co-joined with school gives us such pleasures. The mere school bus have so many stories to share. Each journey has it’s destination, so was this. We remember the journey when we reach a particular place. These journeys in school bus wearing our uniforms will always make our eyes teary whenever we get back to our memories. My pals! Get some time to yourself to relish those days again and yes my present school bus travellers, please make more and more stories as much as you can.