Bus Update

Well, the day after my bus rant, Angelo was on time to ride to school with Fred and Alan. The bus hasn't showed up again. So I guess all is back to normal.

Including Angelo's tardy habits. He wasn't out there with Alan when Fred arrived to pick them up after school, so they left without him. It's not like they could just wait a few minutes and expect him to show up--honestly, we never have any idea where he might be or if he's going to show up at all, if he's not there. He might do something bizarre like call us from a gas station saying he had a soccer game that we didn't know anything about, but he missed the soccer bus, so he walked to the gas station before he realized he wasn't going to catch the bus. Anything.

He called my cell phone about fifteen minutes after school let out, wanting to know where everyone was. I asked where he was. He was inside the band room because it was "too cold" to wait outside where Alan always goes to watch for the van. Sigh. He still doesn't get it.

I think part of it is that Angelo just can't stand being dependent on us. He doesn't really mind living here, as long as we don't try to act like his parents. He just wants his room to hang out in and access to the bathroom and refrigerator. It's kind of like renting out a room, except that we don't get any rent.

When we arrive somewhere, like school, to pick Angelo up, the first thing he does upon catching sight of our van is to TURN AWAY. He literally turns his back and takes a step or two the other way. It's almost like a reflex. Yeah, he'd like the ride, but he doesn't want us to think he really needs the ride, so he has to act casual. Then he'll walk all the way around the van to get in the door of his choosing, even if Fred has popped open the door closest to Angelo.

We've pointed this out to him and he doesn't even seem to be aware that he does it. It's just an automatic reaction. It's one of the weird little things that the books didn't prepare us for.