The Bus Award

This is a descriptive paragraph that I had to write for my writing seminar that I thought some people might find amusing.

“The recipient of the first ever Ohio County Schools bus award is…” A hush fell over my eighth grade class that screamed in anguish and desperation, “Please, do not let this be me!” But alas, after an imperceptible pause that seemed to last a lifetime in the time warp within my head, my principle announced with great gusto that I, Michelle Potter, would receive the award for “Impeccable conduct on Bus 95-26 for the 2000-2001 school year. I sat frozen, impervious to this surreal reality, and unwilling to remove myself from my uncomfortable chair that bore the scars of years of misspelled profanity. My best friend nudged me out of my seat onto my unsteady feet, and I began my journey to the stage. My consciousness could perceive only three things- the podium that was to be my sacrificial alter, the sounds of snickering mingled with the fierce reprimands of teachers informing my classmates of what an honor this was, and the sounds of my heels clicking in steady rhythm as I traversed the stage that had never before seemed so vast and formidable. However, I eventually made it to the podium, arm outstretched and palms sweaty, to exchange a handshake for a certificate mounted in a cheap frame that still exhibited an orange “SALE $2.99” sticker along with a coupon for a free small Domino’s pizza (in-store pickup only, of course). I felt weightless as the stares of my classmates guided me back to my seat, award in hand, and I was consumed with an insatiable desire to laugh and to cry, but above all, to escape.