Influence

“You think you make an influence? You don’t,” Lois said as she slapped the lunch bag out of the young boy’s hand. His apple broke through the bottom of the paper bag and rolled on the floor. Johnny picked it up and went back to cleaning up the dishes and hung up the dish towel in order to complete his chores. His older sister had already headed out to school getting a ride from friends, by the time he was done.

Johnny waited at the bus stop. A girl tripped and spilled her purse. The other kids started to laugh at her clumsiness. Johnny knelt down and started to help her pick up the contents. She was a bit embarrassed by the help, but said softly, “Thank you. I’m Ginny, by the way, I see you out here every morning. Sorry, I never asked your name.” When he was just about finished, he felt a sudden pain to his ribs. Kicked off balance, he looked up and it was Max’s foot. “You think you make a difference,” he said, “you don’t.”

The bus arrived.

The kids gathered onto the bus to school. It was a long day at school. In Miss Lutman’s class, the teacher began berating Ferris for again forgetting his homework. Ferris was floundering looking about his desk for where he put it. It would mean staying late if he forgot it just one more time. Johnny noticed a fat pocket of papers protruding from Ferris’ jacket hanging over the back of his chair. He reached over and motioned to Ferris, “Is this it?” pointing out the packet.

In a flash of epiphany, Ferris dug his hand into the pocket and pulled out the homework and waved it in the air. Miss Lutman, sneered and pulled it from his hand. She turned to Johnny and said, “Don’t go thinking you influenced anything, it still has to be graded.”

When the school bell finally rang and the children were released from academia, Johnny headed to the bus stop for the ride home. Some kids ran past him and one was pushed by two others and fell over and and his book backpack with papers and books splayed all over the grass. The kids laughed and walked on. Johnny watched as the girl he helped at the bus stop, Ginny, jumped up from where she was sitting and raced over to the boy, who was searching for his glasses among the debris. She helped him pick up his bag and replenish its contents. She looked up at Johnny and smiled.

The bus arrived. Max was in the back and cried out as the bus pulled away from school. “Oh, man! I forgot my textbook for my homework tonight! I’m going to get another ‘F’.”

Everyone heard and kept to themselves. Ferris was sitting a few rows in front. He got up and walked to the back of the bus. “No worries, man, here, use mine. You can take a picture of the assignment with your phone.”

“Thanks man, you’re a life saver.” Max said.

“No worries man, I had a similar problem today, that kid right there helped me.” Ferris pointed to Johnny.

Max jerked his head back bewildered. Perplexed, he half smiled at Johnny and motioned a thumbs up.

The bus pulled up at Johnny’s stop. He got off the bus and walked toward his house. He noticed his mom’s car in the driveway; she was home early. That never happened. He hurried his pace. He ran up the side steps and flew into the kitchen. His mom was there talking to his sister. They both looked as he entered.

“There you are! We’ve been waiting for you.” His mom said.

Johnny was a bit puzzled, they looked happy but...

“Thank you so much for helping me get out of the house early this morning. I was able to make it to my meeting early, impressed the client, made the sale and the boss gave me the afternoon off. We’re going bowling and eating out tonight!”

His mom hugged him. He looked up at his older sister, “You got me, Squirt,” she said, “you are pretty influential.” She rubbed his head, “Just keep being you.”

End