Jeez. I'm really a lot better in a crisis then in real life. A pathetic state of affairs. I was reminded of that today. After I expended way too much emotion during what could/should have been tough, but not crazy teary conversations, I got a phone call while sitting in front of this very same computer. "Hi, this is Jean, the bus monitor. Kate is asking that you come on the bus." What? I thought. James is off the bus. I heard the two of them here, in the house.

"Kate asked me to call you," said Jean. "We're having trouble with a girl."

Okay then. I put the phone down and moved to the front door, where James was sitting right inside. Okay, so he was inside. But, on the bus, I saw the problem. There were the three boys who've been riding the bus with James each morning, and a girl, who Kate was trying to restrain. The monitor was there too, helpless. Doug, the driver, sat behind the wheel, equally helpless. I took the girl and sat down with her on my lap, my arms holding her arms. She had really long, straight hair that was loose and everywhere. "She likes 'The wheels on the bus,'" said Kate as she moved forward on the bus, soothing the boys, especially 4th grader Xxxx, who was crying.

I spent the next 25 minutes trying to control this girl whose very name was unknown to me. I finally asked. Xxxxxx. Poor, poor girl. She was completely out of control and desperate for someone to save her. As calm as I tried to be, I wasn't the answer. She didn't get worse with me but she didn't get better either. I held tight and tried to keep my hands and arms away from her eager teeth. In the end, I got two bites, both on my left hand.

Eventually, Paula Dillon, head of special ed for the town, arrived and the two of us were able to move Xxxxxx into her car seat. Xxxxxx had been saying, "car seat, car seat." Yet an earlier attempt was unsuccessful. Paula proved the key. Then Xxxxxx said, "cookie." That was easy enough to solve. I brought her a couple of Oreo's and lemon cookies, with a cup of water. She ate and drank eagerly.

Meanwhile, Sxxxx, Wxxx and Xxx had been taken off the bus and were in our backyard, together with a completely oblivious James. Before long, we were accompanied by James's teacher, the school psychologist, the school principal (!) and, eventually, one of the one-on-one aides, a crazy collection of people. All in our backyard. Eventually, another bus arrived and the boys were taken away for their rides home. Lots of apologies from school staff, but really that seemed so unnecessary. These people - all of them - have done so much for James, for us. I was more than happy to help. Does that sound pretentious? Yet, it's the truth.