Drop everything and become a HERO

So last night i was writing on my blog--
getting ready for bed--
winding down for the day--
and all of a sudden my cell phone rang--

I thought about disregarding it
but used my better judgement and picked it up--


So instead of finishing my entry--
I threw my clothes back on
and ran out the door--

The phone call was from another driver
I had left him my phone number that day
in hopes of switching trips with him the next day.
It was a good thing i had left the note--
as his bus had broken down
outside of Gila Bend
and he had 47 kids and adults
that he needed to get home.
He had tried to call our bosses
with no luck--
So at that point
he gave me a ring
and being the kind soul
and thinking
"what would I do if I were in the same situation"
left me no choice---
I would spend the next 3 hours
driving in a circle
to get everyone home.

I called my boss
and left a message--
just so they would know....
I decided that I was going with my OLD faithful bus--
(while i have been given a new BUS this year
I am having my doubts about its dependability
until all the bugs are worked out)
I was off--
Before i got onto the freeway
my boss called me--
I pulled over
(not allowed to drive the bus and chat on the phone)
and we had a brief conversation
and he told me not to worry about coming in in the morning--
(I have been helping out with a route at 5:30 each morning)

Now I really was off--
speeding through the night
on a mission of mercy--
It was weird being in on bus ALL by myself
on these really dark roads--
I thought about what would happen if I broke down--
I would really be stuck--
since the area I was in was cell phone impaired--
I got to sing as loud as I wanted
without offending any one--
It is amazing the things you do to keep yourself occupied...
As I was pulling into Gila Bend
My phone rang--
it was the other driver
wondering how far out I was--
At that point
I debated stopping for a Coke--
But didn't--
I figured they didn't need to wait any longer--
and when i finally would arrive home
I didn't want to be wide awake
from drinking so late.

I continued on
arriving an hour and a half
after he had called me.
The kids were so happy
they were thanking me for picking them up
(I knew some of the kids from swimming with my daughter--
I thought about their parents and how i would have felt
if it was my child stuck in the middle of no where in the middle of the night)
We got everyone loaded up
turned around
and we were off--
rather uneventful drive.
I finished driving at one in the morning--
grateful for the fact that i didn't have to get up at five
feeling good that i had done a good deed.
Sleeping in didn't really happen--
the alarm went off at five
and my husband proceeded to tell me to get up--
and wasn't so happy when i told him i didn't have too--
"why didn't i tell him that earlier"--
when would i have--
at one in the morning?---Oh well....

The next morning
at 5:30 a.m. I was
retelling this story to the girl i have been riding with
She was so impressed
that i had dropped everything and had gone out to "save" that group
She said "Your like a HERO"
It made me feel pretty good---
kinda made me want to pat myself on the back
and stick my chest out.
I was thinking
"Yeah---I was a HERO"
Feeling soooooo impressed with myself
that i had made a difference
that i could do no wrong--
As she was stepped out of the bus for a minute
She threw this statement out
(mind you it immediately followed the HERO statement)
"By the way--your shirt is inside out"
Ego was immediately deflated
I was brought back down to earth
HUMBLED......
Even HERO's have their OFF days.......
(and remember it was 5:30 in the morning--
not all hero's are morning people.....)