This is an absolutely true story.

One day recently, my boss got on the ‘two-way’ and asked (or instructed) that rather than me doing my regular evening school run and route, ‘I would be keen to help out’ (those were his instructions) ‘by doing a different school run for a different school – just for that day’. This request/instruction came with about two-hours-notice and involved an unknown school on a new and unknown, particularly long and complex route through suburbs and streets that were a complete mystery to me.

Needless to say, I was in something of a panic.

By way of background, I’m very comfortable with my usual route. I know the kids. I know where they get off. I know various people and landmarks along the journey. I know that there are three ladies who have their afternoon walk up on the corner of the South Gippsland Highway and Hall Road as I go by. I know there’s a man wearing an Akubra hat who has his afternoon walk in the same area at the same time every day. So, to say this instruction from the boss to change my routine on this particular day was not only a huge challenge….it was for me, quite terrifying! It was made more terrifying when with two- hours’ notice, I studied the route. Winding side streets, suburbs I didn’t know and places I’d never been to. A recipe for disaster!

Breathing heavily (almost to the point of hyperventilation) I entered this unfamiliar school. At this point I made an important decision. It was simple. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. There was a traffic warden directing traffic inside the school. I stopped, asked where I needed to be and he told me. Simple. So, I went to the pick-up point.

Kids flooded on to the coach. I was responsible for them – and I didn’t even know where I was going! Friends, this was a disaster waiting to happen.

But, there was a little bloke who got on and sat in the row of seats right behind me ….a kid who when I asked, introduced himself as Max. Summoning up all my er…’courage’ I explained to Max that I hadn’t done this run before and didn’t really know where I was going. Casually, Max said ‘Don’t worry. I’ll show you the way’. And to my amazement, that’s exactly what he did.

We left the school, and as we did so, Max called out instructions – ‘Turn left’…’turn right’…..’get ready to move into the right lane’…..’turn at this intersection’….’stop at this stop’ that sort of stuff. As we went along the winding and twisting nightmare of a run through streets and places that were a complete mystery to me, kids got off the bus and it slowly emptied. Before Max got off at his stop, I delivered something of a little speech I prepared for him – “Max…thank you for your help. You will never know how much you’ve helped me today”. And I meant it.

So, on this day, it was the little bloke – the child – who had saved the day for the sixty-year old, cranky driver behind the wheel of the twenty-ton coach.

I work as a school bus driver and on some days I carry hundreds of kids on my coach. It may come as a surprise to you, but despite that, I don’t particularly like kids. On this day though, the little bloke Max was my absolute hero.

The Bible has many references to little blokes playing an important part in the story of Jesus.

• Jesus himself was just a little bloke when he first taught in the temple.
• In various adaptations of the story, it was a little bloke who supplied his lunch of a loaf and a fish to Jesus who subsequently fed the five thousand.
• When his disciples were keen to ‘shoo’ little blokes away from the feet of Jesus, Jesus admonished them (the disciples) with words something like “Let the little blokes come unto me”….or something like that.
• Annually, the world goes ‘ga-ga’ celebrating the birth of a little bloke. The birth of Jesus. God made flesh. God come amongst us.

So, maybe I’ll need to re-think my general dislike of the little characters amongst us.

Maybe on that day, the cold heart (and career) of the tough driver of heavy vehicles was saved by the innocent and enthusiastic help of none other than – the little bloke.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. I learn lessons every day. I think we all do. Don’t be afraid going into places you’re unsure of. Ask questions. Everyone has something to contribute. Sometimes even kids.

Safe travels!

Peter Heazlewood
Bus Driver