A Sudden Sense of Alarm
Timmy’s sense of alarm reached a new level as he continued to observe Mr. Jenkins. The man seemed to be struggling, his hands unstable on the steering wheel. The bus swerved slightly every now and then, a small but noticeable deviation in the usual smooth ride. Timmy’s thoughts raced as he tried to connect the dots. The smell in the air, the odd behavior of the driver, and the strange way the bus was moving all pointed to something serious. His gut was telling him that they were not just dealing with an ordinary situation. Something was wrong, and it was getting worse by the minute. His heart began to beat faster, and for a moment, he considered doing nothing—letting the situation unfold and hoping for the best. But that feeling quickly passed.
Timmy’s thoughts were now completely focused on what to do next. He had been told by his parents and teachers what to do in case of an emergency, but this was different—this was real. There wasn’t time to wait for an adult to notice. Timmy realized that if he didn’t act, there could be serious consequences. He wasn’t sure what was wrong with Mr. Jenkins, but he had a sinking feeling that it was something life-threatening. His hands were shaking while holding his backpack open to get his phone; he kept the phone charged and was supposed to always be ready in case of an emergency, according to his parents. This was finally going to be his opportunity.
Taking another deep breath to calm his nerves, Timmy leaned into the phone and unlocked it. He kept his fingers poised above the screen for a second before steeled himself to call it in. It was real, and this wasn’t something he could be light about. There were children packed onto the bus, oblivious to what was going on around them, but Timmy could hardly afford to dismiss what his senses were reporting. Trembling fingers punched 911 into the phone. It rang, and Timmy’s stomach twisted in anxiety. He didn’t know how long it would take for help to arrive, but he knew he had to act fast. When the dispatcher answered, Timmy forced himself to speak clearly, despite the rising panic in his chest. His voice was a little shaky, but his words were firm. “There’s something wrong with my bus driver. I think he needs help. I’m on the bus right now.”
The Decision to Call 911
As soon as Timmy said that, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had done the right thing—he had called for help. The dispatcher on the other end of the line sounded calm and professional, asking him for details about the location, the bus number, and what he had observed about the driver’s behavior. Timmy, attempting to keep himself together, could tell the dispatcher as much as he could. He told the dispatcher that the bus route went down the street and the driver was confused and ill, and noted the strange smell he had noticed, though he did not know if he should mention it. The dispatcher reassured him that help was on the way and asked him to stay on the line in case any further information was needed.
Even though the dispatcher reassured him, Timmy couldn’t help but feel anxious. He wanted to be sure that the authorities were taking the situation seriously. As he continued talking to the dispatcher, he kept glancing at Mr. Jenkins. Now the driver was having difficulty; he seemed to have dropped his eyes, with his body slumped back on the driver’s seat. The bus kept moving as long as it had a person holding onto its steering. It was just a question of how much time Timmy would have. The bus will surely stop once its driver’s hand slips, and he goes motionless on the driver’s seat. His mind went over the possible options, one worse than the other.
But just as he was getting more nervous, the dispatcher said they had located the bus and were sending officers and emergency medical personnel to intercept it. Timmy felt a wave of relief that help was coming, and it was coming fast. He thanked the dispatcher, who told him to stay on the line for as long as he possibly could, but Timmy knew there wasn’t much more he could do. He sat back in his seat and looked around at his classmates, noticing that most of them still hadn’t noticed anything was amiss. They were chatting and laughing as if everything was fine, but Timmy knew otherwise. He felt proud of himself for acting so quickly, but his concern for Mr. Jenkins never left him. He was waiting now, waiting for help to arrive before things could get any worse.
