Marco’s School Bus

By Ruth Donnelly

Marco stood on the porch. He looked up the street. He looked down the street.

“Where is it?” he asked.

“It will come,” Marco’s mother said. “Be patient.”

A bird landed on the porch railing. It looked at Marco and tilted its head.

“Hi, bird,” said Marco. “I’m waiting for the bus!”

“What’s a bus?” asked the bird.

“It’s something big,” said Marco.

“Oh,” said the bird. “Like a dog?”

“Bigger,” said Marco.

“I don’t like dogs,” said the bird. “Too noisy!”

A grey squirrel darted down from a tree.

“Hi, squirrel,” said Marco. “I’m waiting for the bus!”

“What’s a bus?” asked the squirrel.

“It’s something big,” said the bird. “Bigger than a dog!”

“And it’s yellow,” said Marco.

“Oh,” said the squirrel. “Like a sunflower! I love sunflower seeds!”

“But you can’t eat the bus,” said Marco.

The neighbor’s cat walked into the yard. It sat down and began to wash its paw.

“Hi, cat,” said Marco. “I’m waiting for the bus!”

“What’s a bus?” asked the cat.

“It’s bigger than a dog,” said the bird.

“It’s yellow like a sunflower,” said the squirrel.

“When it gets here,” said Marco, “I’ll climb up into it.”

“Oh,” said the cat. “Like a tree! I’m excellent at climbing trees.”

“It’s not exactly like a tree,” said Marco.

“Here it comes,” said Marco’s mother. She helped him put on his backpack. She kissed

him goodbye. Marco walked down the steps. He waited on the sidewalk until the bus stopped.

“So that’s a bus,” said the bird. “I’m glad it’s not barking.”

“So that’s a bus,” said the squirrel. “It doesn’t look at all tasty.”

“So that’s a bus,” said the cat. “It has no leaves!”

Marco laughed. “It’s my school bus,” he said. “It’s going to take me to school!”