{"id":5458,"date":"2024-10-31T21:39:17","date_gmt":"2024-10-31T21:39:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/?p=5458"},"modified":"2024-10-31T21:39:17","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T21:39:17","slug":"school-bus-driver-drops-boy-in-wrong-town-he-calls-mom-saying-im-in-a-dark-dirty-room-story-of-the-day-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/school-bus-driver-drops-boy-in-wrong-town-he-calls-mom-saying-im-in-a-dark-dirty-room-story-of-the-day-2\/","title":{"rendered":"School Bus Driver Drops Boy in Wrong Town, He Calls Mom Saying \u2018I\u2019m in a Dark, Dirty Room\u2019 \u2013 Story of the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
When my husband and I couldn\u2019t pick up our son from school one day due to work, we asked Kyle to take the school bus home along with the rest of his classmates. However, things took a sharp turn when the bus driver made a mistake while calling out the bus stop locations.\n\n\n\n
It was just an ordinary Thursday, or so I thought when I waved goodbye to Kyle as he left for school with my husband, Tristan. He wasn\u2019t used to taking the bus since either Tristan or I usually picked him up from school.\n\n\n\n
But work had us both tied up that day, so we called his teacher and told her he\u2019d be taking the bus and that we\u2019d pick him up from the bus stop as it was closer for us. She guided him on what he needed to do before boarding.\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlright, sweetheart, the bus driver is going to call out the names of the bus stops. You have to be alert and wait for him to call your stop. Okay?\u201d Mrs. Patterson told him before Kyle boarded the bus\u2026\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n
My baby was confident he could make it, as he had always seen himself as an independent child.\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you, Mrs. Patterson. I\u2019ll be alert and wait for him to call out Pflugerville,\u201d he said, hugging his teacher before boarding the bus. Then, he got to his seat, and the bus driver closed the door.\n\n\n\n
Kyle knew that our house was a bit further than the rest of the kids, so he read a book while on the bus.\n\n\n\n
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Although he knew the name of our neighborhood, he didn\u2019t exactly know how the bus stop looked, as he\u2019d never ridden the school bus before.\n\n\n\n\n
After a couple of stops, the bus driver suddenly called out, \u201cPflugerville.\u201d Looking around, Kyle realized he was the only one getting off at that stop. He thanked the bus driver, exited the bus, and found himself alone at the bus stop.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
For illustration purposes only | Source: Shutterstock\n\n\n\n
\u201cDad? Mom?\u201d he then called out. He didn\u2019t have a cell phone, so he decided to sit, thinking we were just late. It was getting darker, and it was cold. Kyle started feeling scared and walked around the neighborhood, hoping to find our house. But he ended up lost.\n\n\n\n
Then, while he was walking around, a dark figure suddenly appeared in front of him. Kyle started crying, afraid that he was about to be taken somewhere scary.\n\n\n\n
To be honest, that day was hectic like no other. We didn\u2019t realize how soon it was time to pick up Kyle. Tristan and I headed to the bus stop in the next town, expecting to see Kyle hop off with his usual bright smile. But as the kids disembarked one by one, the sinking realization hit us \u2014 Kyle wasn\u2019t there.\n\n\n\n
Panic set in when the bus driver approached us, his face pale. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I made a mistake. I called out \u2018Pflugerville\u2019 too early. I drove back and looked for him, but\u2026\u201d he stammered. The anger and fear I felt were indescribable. We promised to take action against this negligence, but our immediate concern was finding our son.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n
As darkness enveloped the town, Tristan and I frantically searched the neighborhood, calling out Kyle\u2019s name, hoping to find him. But we got no response. Our boy was somewhere, and we didn\u2019t know where. Tears streamed down my face, the worst scenarios playing out in my mind. Then, my phone rang, cutting through the night\u2019s stillness.\n\n\n\n
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\u201cMom?\u201d Kyle\u2019s voice, a mix of relief and fear, was the sweetest sound I\u2019d ever heard.\n\n\n\n\n
\u201cSweetheart, where are you? Dad and I have been looking for you,\u201d I said, trying to keep my voice steady. He was calling from an unknown number. Whose number was that?\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m with Frank. I\u2019m in a dark, dirty room, but\u2026\u201d The line went dead. My heart stopped for a moment. Had someone taken him? Who was this Frank? Without hesitation, we involved the police, who traced the call to a rundown part of town.\n\n\n\n
We arrived at a decrepit shelter, where we found Kyle, safe but scared, with a beggar \u2014 Frank.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n
Tristan and I were scared beyond words. Frank looked scary with his shabby appearance, and we thought he\u2019d abducted our son. We were ready to unleash our fury at him for what we thought was a sinister act. Tristan almost raised his hand at the poor man.\n\n\n\n
But Kyle\u2019s voice stopped us in time. \u201cDad, Mom, why are you getting mad at him? You should be thanking him! If it weren\u2019t for Frank, I\u2019d be outside, freezing in the cold, or worse, someone could have taken me.\u201d\n\n\n\n
The realization hit us hard. Frank, this stranger who had nothing, had taken our son under his wing, offering him warmth and protection when he was most vulnerable. My heart swelled with gratitude and shame for my initial suspicions.\n\n\n\n
Tristan and I immediately apologized to the kind man. Frank brushed off our worries and told us it was fine.\n\n\n\n
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\u201cAnd that\u2019s not all, Mom,\u201d Kyle continued. \u201cUsing the money he had left, he bought me a sandwich instead of buying something for himself. He even gave me his blanket.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n
Tears welled up in my eyes, not just for the fear of nearly losing Kyle but for the kindness Frank showed him.\n\n\n\n
That night, my husband and I treated Frank to a delicious meal at a local Chinese restaurant.\n\n\n\n
Frank was overjoyed. \u201cThank you for this delicious meal. You really didn\u2019t have to do anything for me. I was glad to help Kyle!\u201d he smiled.\n\n\n\n
\u201cSomething could have happened to our son if you were not there to save him, Frank. This is the least we can do,\u201d Tristan said while pouring Frank another cup of tea.\n\n\n\n
Tristan and I were so grateful for what Frank had done that we didn\u2019t want to stop at just treating him to dinner. We wanted to make sure that although Frank was currently unemployed, he\u2019d live comfortably.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n
As Tristan worked for a large pharmaceutical company, he pulled some strings to get Frank a job at one of their pharmacy branches. We also made sure he had warm clothes and food while he adjusted to life as an employee. We wanted to ensure Frank\u2019s future was as bright as the hope he\u2019d given us.\n\n\n\n
Ultimately, Frank\u2019s life changed for the better, and he was able to move out of the shelter and rent a small apartment that was good enough for him to comfortably live in. He also excelled at his job as a security guard, and he enjoyed being able to work and interact with different people.\n\n\n\n
Frank never thought that a simple act of kindness would change his life for the better. He had a stable job and a comfortable home and gained a good set of friends \u2014 all because he decided to help Kyle that day.\n\n\n\n
Looking back, I realize how a moment of fear led to an unexpected friendship and a reminder of the inherent goodness in people. Frank, once a stranger, now holds a special place in our hearts.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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