Mama Kat Thursday: You Can't Sit Here

The Mama Kat blog writing prompt of chosen today is, "Write a post inspired by the word: Late."

I think everyone has their own preferences for when being late or being on time matters.

As I general rule, I like to be on time. Old habit from being in the military. For Hubby, too.

However, if it's a large group event where seating is involved, especially if it involves tables full of people for a conference meal or celebration, I absolutely never want to arrive late. 

I must arrive 15 or 20 minutes early, so I can be sure to have my pick of where to sit and I can possess a spot. Then I can be the one in control and others, who arrive late, have to ask me if they can join me at my table. 

I  don't prefer the reverse.
I dislike having to search for a seat among strangers, asking for a place to sit,

It reminds me too much of my school years riding the school bus.
 We lived way out in the country and the school bus picked me and, later, my sisters up around 6:15 in the morning, then would jostle all over the country side, picking up other kids, finally dropping us off at school near 8.

We were the Baby Boomer generation, so the bus was packed with 2 to 3 kids in every seat---unless some nasty Junior or Senior decided to horde a seat to themselves, which happened.

Grade School sat amidst farm fields near a village called, "Hall,"  It served Grades 1 - 6.
 Junior/Senior High was elsewhere, another 7 miles away, and when the grade schoolers got off the bus at Hall, the older kids stayed on for the rest of the ride to Monrovia High, located in a slightly larger community also in the middle of farm fields.

Somewhere along the way, about the time I started 7th grade, some school system genus finally realized it would be a good idea to run two bus pick-ups, separating the grade schoolers and high schoolers.
You'd think that would make things better, but, unfortunately, I was still at the end of the bus route pick-up, so by the time I got on, the bus seats were already pretty full. There was actually room to sit, if kids were willing to share, but kids are mean and if you're not their friend or they don't feel like being nice, they'd say "no" to any inquiry about sharing a seat.

So, I'd go down the whole aisle asking, "Can I sit here?" and be turned down all the way to the back up the bus, where I'd end up stuck standing, with an armful of heavy books.

Sometimes I and my friend Sandra would ride standing like that all the way to the High School, gripping nearby seat backs to keep our balance as the bus swayed over bumpy roads.
Other times the bus driver would yell at us to, "Get seated," and sometimes someone then would reluctantly be merciful enough to edge over just enough to allow myself or Sandra a wee-bit of seat to perch on. Most times, though, no one budged.
 The feeling of desperate helplessness of that situation so many days was horrible. 

Then good news---the bus pick-up route was rearranged, so I was picked up first! Oh, happy day! That was either 9th or 10th grade, I can't recall exactly. I do recall the bus was practically empty and the joy I felt that I could finally have any seat I wanted!

It was so terrific, I can't express how much a relief that was to finally be in control of where I sat.

So, it's because of those experiences on the school bus that I feel it essential never to be late to a seated group event, so I can be sure I'm in control of where I sit.

Thanks for Visiting!