Shot Through the Heart

Pulling up to the elementary school triggered memories from my Parkview Pirates days. The line of buses and kids running out the doors with coats half on and bags dragging across the cement. Actually I rarely saw much of that. I rode bus 504. It came early and those of us cool enough to ride it lined up by the entrance counting down the last seconds of the school day. As soon as the bell rang we walked single file to the long flat-faced yellow monster, the only of its kind. I missed out on the wild kids running to meet their parents and the horn honking traffic jams.

Picking up Justin I panicked, should I stay in the car? Line up behind the buses? Circle the parking lot? I finally decided to park on the corner of the street as far from the school as possible. That decision felt a little forced because it was. The little voices increased in volume the closer I got to the school.

My mouth turned up a little at the corners, half amused at the carefree abandon, half annoyed at the shrill sound. Then a small boy at the top of the play structure introduced his friends to an old favorite of mine—Bon Jovi.

The boy sang out, “Shot through the heart.” My mouth grew into a full-blown smile and my mind finished and your to blame, darling you give love a bad name.

I guess some people remain ageless.