I was a nervous kid. Not sure what the modern medical diagnosis would be, but back then I believe the clinical term was "Barfy Magee." I was especially sobby and hurl-prone when it came to school. It didn’t take much for me to heave Froot Loops, especially anticipating the scarring 8-minute bus ride to school. The horror! That’s why — 33 years later — I was an absolute wreck taking my oldest, 6-year-old Kid Lulu, to her very first bus stop. Lu is a bright, funny kid, and yet, in the early going, she shared her father’s addled propensity for projectile vomiting. But alas, when her big looming bus finally arrived, my lil’ first-grader gave me a confident squeeze and bounded onto the beast, her blond bob of hair bouncing, her little pink backpack swaying. The driver gave me an understanding smile — which instantly faded when I got on the bus, too. Now let me explain: I just wanted to make sure Lulu was safe, okay? Turns out she was fine — if mortified: “Dad, what are you doing?!” The driver was on me fast: “SIR, PARENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE SCHOOL BUS!” I put my hands up, my voice tinged with more than a little crazy-man defense: “Hey, hey, that’s cool, leaving the bus, leaving the bus. Just making sure she was okay.” So I got off the bus, waving to a relieved Lulu. When I realized neither my daughter nor I had barfed, I smiled. And when I realized neither one of us had cried, well...

The School Bus Playlist

Let Me Ride, Dr. Dre
Yellow, Coldplay
Baby Driver, Simon and Garfunkel
Throw It Up, Lil’ Jon & the Eastside Boyz
Another One Rides the Bus, “Weird” Al Yankovic