The Marion County school bus depot glows neon green and urban pink. Lit up by tall lights, it is a baleful beacon in the night. Headlights turn on.
Buses move out.
The whole scene is like some sleeping colony of huge worker bees buzzing awake. Bus No. 9608 makes the run heading out State Road 40, then turns deep into horse country and loops back, picking up Forest High School students. Frankly, your columnist wasn't aware Forest students came from that far away. The total run is 54 miles. Some kids live right on the line.