Writing Prompts - 1. 317 - The Bunny - Running for The Bus

Beep, beep

"Jim, are you ready? The youth center bus is here." Rudy yelled to his husband. He pulled on his yellow "Running for the Bus" tee-shirt and grabbed his keys.

"They're late enough. Maybe we should just skip the marathon this year. We didn't raised enough for the new bus anyways." The LGBT youth and staff raised a lot getting people to sponsor them as they were "Running for the Bus" in the local marathon. They only needed another $2,500, but that might as well be $25,000. Jim stomped out the front door and stopped with a gasp.

Oof, Rudy ran into him after locking the front door. Wondering why his grumpy husband had stopped, he looked around. There on the front lawn was a giant blow up bunny, complete with colorful vest and basket.

"It's Memorial Day, why did you get a blow up Easter Bunny?" Jim pointed to the oddity on the lawn.

"I didn't do it. We'll have to figure this out after the race. Come on, we're already late." Rudy grabbed his husband's arm and ushered him to the bus with the rainbow on the side.

Agnes, the driver, grinned and opened the doors. "I like the new decoration guys."

The kids cheered as their favorite mentors/chaperones boarded the bus. The bus backfired and gears growled as Agnes drove down the street. Silently Jim prayed that the bus would make it to the marathon and back.

"I see everyone has their 'Running for the Bus' shirts" Rudy commented on the different colored T-shirts, all showing a pair of running feet chasing down a rainbow painted bus. Several teens giggled in reply. The noise and exuberance of twenty teens quickly distracted the couple from the mysterious bunny.

Later, after the marathon, the bus loaded with tired kids and chaperones turned onto Rudy & Jim's street.

"Jim, I think you better look at this" Agnes pointed at a series of signs on the lawns down the street.

"Hop To It" was written on the first sign, surrounded by Easter Eggs.

"Don't be late" shouted the white rabbit looking at his pocket watch on another sign.

On the next sign, Huey, Dewey, and Louie chanted "Don't be a Scrooge" .

The last sign, on Jim's and Rudy's lawn in front of the blow up bunny, proclaimed "Egg Collection Point". The bunny's basket was full and a sea of colorful plastic eggs covered the lawn around the decoration.

Agnes stopped the bus and everyone piled out. Teenagers and adults milled about on the sidewalk staring at the eggs, unsure what to do.

"Are the eggs filled with candy?" Mikey opened a red egg, hoping for chocolate. "It's got pennies in it and a note that says: 'Thanks for the chalk, Billy and Susy'".

Agnes bent down and picked up a large white egg, the kind that nylons once came in. She opened it and found two pieces of paper. "Jim, you'd better read this."

Jim read the note aloud "For all the times you've been so 'wrapped up' in your music that you mowed my lawn or shoveled my walk too. MW" The smaller piece of paper was a check for $100.

Rudy watched as Mr. Washington slowly shuffled out the door to his favorite chair on his porch. The old man, a huge grin covering his face, raised his coffee cup and silently saluted his neighbors. Rudy looked at the bunny again, and realized it was the one that graced Mr. Washington's lawn every Easter.

The teenagers scattered collecting and opening the eggs. "This one has $5 in it" yelled one boy. A pair of enterprising teens jumped up the bus steps and grabbed Agnes' trash can. They pulled the bag out and courteously tied off the bag before jumping back out. "We can put the money in here."

"What do we do with the notes?" An older girl held up a handful of paper. "Give them to Agnes" someone else suggested. "I've found a check, what do I do with it?" someone called out. "Give them to Rudy". "Hey, look at this. It's a one hundred dollar bill, I've never seen one before." "This one has $10." Excited chatter filled the yard as the young people opened eggs to examine the treasure inside.

Agnes began reading some of the notes aloud. "Thanks for fixing my bike tire." "For sharing the vegetables from your garden when my husband was hurt and couldn't work." "Thanks for playing catch when Dad wouldn't." "U mak grat cookies" was written in crayon with "Thanks for the tea party on your porch the rainy day this mom got stuck in traffic and couldn't meet the bus" underneath in red pen.

As the trashcan filled with coins and bills, Rudy totaled the checks he'd been handed. "Jim, there is over $1000 in checks here."

"Here is a check for $1000 for the center" a bubbly teenage girl handed Agnes a note "Does this mean we get a new bus?"

Agnes took the note and read aloud "For the warmth of a blanket, the shelter of an umbrella, and the silent strength of a friend the night my house caught fire".

The teens stopped and stared at the adults.

With tears in his eyes, Jim answered the teens, "Yes, I think it does."