The Drive That Changed His Life
It was his first day driving through the new route. It was almost noon; as usual, there weren't many passengers at that time of the day.
But suddenly, this man got on the bus, carrying a little boy in his arms. In the beginning, the driver almost didn't notice them. But shortly after, he realized something was wrong.
The Only Way To See The City
Andrew was a veteran bus driver in the city of Boston. He loved his job, he was good at it, and he knew those streets like the palm of his hand.
As a bus driver, Andrew was used to seeing all types of things. He had stories for days from all his years of experience. But what happened that day was far more impressive than anything he'd ever seen before.
A Day In The Job
Andrew’s route went through Jamaica Plain and Roslindale. Those were his favorite neighborhoods in the city. Every day, he looked forward to driving through them again. When noon time came by, he was usually on his second drive around that area.
That day started like many others, and Andrew didn't expect anything exceptional to happen. But he was in for a real surprise.
Different Route For Today
That day, his managers had told him that he would have to follow a different route. However, this wasn't a problem for him. It was common for drivers to have to switch their routes every now and then, and Andrew was ready for anything.
So he sat behind the wheel and started that day's drive. Little did he know that something unusual was about to happen, aside from that change in his route.
Nothing New
At the beginning of his drive, everything seemed alright. He already knew most of the regular passengers, and it seemed like just any other day driving through the streets of Boston.
But closer to the afternoon, this man hopped on the bus. Other than the boy he was carrying in his arms, there seemed to be nothing remarkable about him. He greeted Andrew, paid for the tickets, and sat somewhere in the middle. But then, something happened.
The Man And The Boy
Right after they both sat down, the boy started yelling and crying. The man tried to calm him down without success; the boy seemed to be in distress for some reason.
He gave him his phone, trying to distract him. But the boy kept crying and yelling. The man awkwardly smiled at the other passengers. But then, something else happened that instantly grabbed Andrew's attention.
Crying Louder
Now, the boy started wailing. His voice was like a siren, and everyone on the bus could hear it. Andrew was starting to get concerned: he looked back and saw the man trying his best to soothe the kid.
But nothing seemed to work. After a while, the boy became dissatisfied with sitting on the man's lap and started kicking around. And that was when Andrew noticed it.
Something’s Wrong
The man seemed unused to that type of situation. He didn't seem like the boy's father; otherwise, he would be having an easier time handling his fits and moods.
He had an awkward demeanor, looking like he didn't really know what to do. Now, he was trying to rock the boy to calm him down. And even though this seemed to help somehow, Andrew couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Should I Help?
While he drove through the streets, Andrew was keeping an eye on the whole scene taking place behind him. He felt like he should make an intervention and see if he could be of any help.
Andrew was a father of four, and he knew that children can be hard to deal with sometimes. He recalled his first days trying to calm down his newborn. Maybe this was a similar instance. However, something rubbed him off the wrong way.
I Need To Help
The boy looked like he was trying to get rid of the man. He even seemed scared; it was almost like he didn't know that man at all.
Andrew started suspecting something. What if that man wasn't the boy's father? Maybe he had taken him away from his family? Andrew started getting nervous, thinking about what he could do if that happened to be the case.
He Sees
The boy was now kicking away from the man. In the commotion, Andrew caught a glimpse of his feet. A gasp followed the cold chill that shot up his spine.
The boy wore bright pink jeans and a pair of blue sneakers. Andrew instantly recalled watching the news the previous night about a missing child. His description covered the same clothing the boy wore. Were they the same?
A New Development
This new development made Andrew look at the situation from a different perspective. He noted the difference between the man and the boy, seeing that there couldn’t be any family relation between them.
Andrew was now sure that the man wasn’t supposed to be with that boy. But he couldn’t walk up to him, and he hands over the boy. He needed a plan.
Calling The Police
Andrew dialed 911 under the wheel and casually reported the missing boy. He spoke lower so that none of his passengers could hear him.
The police hatched a plan on the spot, requesting he drive to the next stop as carefully as he could. Andrew obliged, his heart pumping as he tried his best to maintain composure.
Driving Under Pressure
As carefully as he could, Andrew maintained the speed of the bus, taking care not to spook the man. The bus stop was coming up, and although he couldn’t see any police cruisers, he was confident that authorities were in the vicinity.
The bus came to a smooth halt at the terminal. Passengers began alighting, including the man and the boy. But as soon as the man’s feet touched the tarmac, officers jumped on him.
The Boston Hero
The man was taken into custody, and after further investigation, the police confirmed the boy as the missing child.
The police called the boy’s parents with the good news. When they asked Andrew why he’d risked his life to save the boy, he said he wouldn’t know what to do if either of his four children ended up missing.