This is a small bus that belongs to a nearby church.
Let's go back in time, ten years ago: I hadn't been online for long; I didn't even have a computer but would use the ones at the library. I was in a chatroom and got into an argument with someone (I don't remember who and don't even remember what we were arguing about) and I had "bested" him with some facts, which he promptly denounced, and then called me retarded.
Now, that's something I don't like to be called. It's as an offensive term to me as the "n-word" would be to black folks. I don't think I'M retarded, but I know several "mentally challenged" people, and while they might not be as intelligent as are most people, they're more fun to be around.
I went to school with a guy named Gary; actually, I believe both of my older sisters had Gary in the same grade I did. I don't know for sure, but I think Gary stayed in the same grade for about ten years. That's the way things were done back then, especially in our independent school district. We didn't take any federal money and weren't bound by most federal rules and guidelines.
I don't know why Gary quit going to school; perhaps it was because the school did start to take federal aid and couldn't provide the "appropriate" education for him.
Gary was a lot of fun; older than the rest of us, he was also stronger and never tired of giving us piggyback rides and could push us nearly to the sky in the playground swings. Gary would sometimes "read" along with us in class, but usually spent his time coloring.
Gary was, like nearly all the other "retarded" people I know who are socially functional, a sweet "boy"...and still is, because I ran into him a few weeks back at the grocery store. He remembered me AND my name (and it'd been 25 years since I'd seen him. I know many people who can't recall a name a day later. Hmmm, who's the retarded one?) Gary nearly broke my ribs hugging on me and invited me to come visit him at the group home where he resides.
Back to the chatroom argument:
The guy went on: "Bet u rode the short bus."
I had a feeling I was being insulted, but I sure didn't know the slur. I replied:
"Well, yeah, I did ride short busses back and forth to school."
Nothing from my antagonist for a few seconds, then:
"I KNEW IT!"
I ignored him and went on:
"Actually, I remember only one short bus, and it was short because it was a van. My first "bus" to school was an old "woody" station wagon, driven by a classmate's mother. Another classmate's mom drove the school route for a few years; at first we drove their family car, then they bought a nearly-new station wagon."
I'm sure the school district didn't pay much, but it was probably enough to make a car payment and pay for gas, probably plus a bit more.
It was after I had left the chat when I looked up "short bus" and found it was a slur against someone, the same as "retarded". Since my school was tiny and didn't have any special-needs kids other than Gary, I never had found out that in larger schools a "short bus" was used to take those kids back and forth to school.
I still laugh at that guy thinking he was really insulting me, making me furious, only to have me be honest and admit I HAD rode the "short bus" to school
(even our single "big bus" wasn't all that large; didn't need to be, what with us playing eight-man football. The girls and boys both rode the bus to basketball games, even having quite a few empty seats.)
Not that my story was so interesting, sorry to make you read through all of it, but I really like this bus. I bet it gets fairly good gas mileage, and a guy could fix it up and live in it. Have to put a bed, some cabinet space and kitchen, and esp. a shower and a bathroom.
Then I could dump my sewage tank on the front lawns of all those people who like to call others "retarded".
"Funny" thing; when looking for the definition of "short bus" I found this statement, so true.
"Arguing on the Internet is like competing in the Special Olympics. You might win, but you're still retarded."
That guy might've been right, I might very well be "retarded".
Takes one to know one, huh?
Several years ago I had a woman tell me I was "emotionally immature" and "sexually frustrated".
Could've been the other way 'round, just can't remember.
June 27, 2008
The Short Bus
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5 comments:
Sweet essay
Now, if I'd be interested in what kind of hits you might get with that entry title. There is a rather racy, sad but humorous movie of the same title by John Cameron Mitchell.
Reading your post this morning Mike I feel so very ahsamed of myself , I have labelled quite a few people lately who I have came across a 'retard' its a word I have used without even thinking of how insulting it is , you are so right it is very offensive.
Just recently I used that term to describe some of the people that make up the Cyprus Government, I am sure the world would be a better place being run by the 'Garrys' of this world , yes mentally challenged people have qualities in their personalities and characteristics than I may ever possess .
I will i future think before I speak especially in the way I will adress people, I am sure not wanting your sewage tank dumped on my lawn.
Aw, Alison, I sure didn't mean to offend you.
It's just that so many people throw that word out, just as others do "Nazi" or "Fascist".
I guess I'm not so much trying to be a "Speech Nazi" -grin- but arguing against the misuse of labels.
Labels can be good; we have to have them to distinguish people apart from one another or even to diagnose ailments...many reasons to label someone for classification purposes, but as I said, when the word gets used as a slur is when I take *some* offense.
Especially if it's against my family, my friends and lastly, me.
Don't feel ashamed; I'm just as guilty as anyone else for using the wrong words at the wrong time. I sometimes get angry and use the horrid pejorative "sunuvabitch" when I most likely don't even know the person's mother and wouldn't have anything against her.
Those are fightin' words if aimed at me, and I'm ready to fight if I'm using it at someone else.
As for your govt....well, in OUR govt.'s case, I like to use "dumbass". I think most govts. are the same, the world over, full of dumbasses.
We get what we deserve, though, we elected the sunuvabitches.
I mainly remember when Gary got sick on the bus after a big lunch of spaghetti!! I don't think we missed anything in life by having to ride the "short bus." I doubt there are any kids being picked up to go to school in this day and age in a station wagon! But, we have good memories and got a good education, so as far as I'm concerned, we didn't miss a thing. Do you remember when the bus driver (Gail) came into our yard and picked me up and put me in the car cause there was a big tarantula between the gate and the bus? I was too afraid to even go around that big hairy thing, so he had to come get me! I'd give anything to hear Barbara sing again like she used to when we were going to and from school. Those were much simpler times. Makes me sound old, doesn't it?
It was a pretty good time and place for growing up, Sis.
I really didn't know all the particulars about Gary or even if he had been in your class. He still looks like he's 15 years old only with a few gray hairs and some wrinkles. He still laughs all the time, always glad to see someone who will interact with him.
Julie's brother and Gary went to the workshop together and some of them would come home with Hank and that's the next-to-last time I saw Gary.
I can't even recall all the drivers and cars/busses we rode. I remember the tarantula story now.
I certainly should've written about Barbara in the post, and I'm glad you brought her up. It was like having a cross between Patsy Cline and Peggy Lee drive you to school, huh?
I remember the native American kids who rode with us for a year. I know there were several, and besides the neater 'n napkins thing of being on the bus with real Indians, a couple of 'em had six fingers. Man, I thought that was cool.
Then again, I've always wanted a tail, too.
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