Bus Driver Gets a Strange Feeling about a Boy on the Bus and Stays Alert When He Sees the Boy’s Feet

Bus drivers see hundreds of people every week. Some of them are happy, while others are sad. There are those who look like they are always in a rush, while others look distracted and lost. Of all these people, bus drivers have a set that they call their regulars. These are the people who ride every day to get to work or school.

T. Watson is one of those bus drivers. He pays attention to the people getting on and off his bus. Over the years, he has gotten to know his regular riders; he knows their drop-off points and has gotten used to their daily schedules as well. Some of them have even become his friends. Whenever they get on and off the bus, they usually have a quick conversation.

T. Watson often smiles warmly at his departing passengers, waving from the driver’s seat as he tells them:

“Take care.”

On other occasions, tipping his cap toward a regular stepping onto the curb, he kindly bids them:

“Enjoy your day.”

In return, they wish for his safety on the road as well.

It went the same every day until one particular morning.

That day, T. Watson was driving his regular route. The day was going well, and he was operating as smoothly as he could. Then, at a bus stop, a man and a young boy got on his bus. T. Watson was sure the pair were not his regulars. The man seemed to be in his mid-twenties, and he looked distracted. They chose a seat in the middle, and the man was evidently restraining the little boy, who was clearly not in the mood.

When this little boy got on the bus with the young man, the child started crying. That was something T. Watson saw often; it is not uncommon for children to get on a bus in the middle of a temper tantrum. However, that day, the bus driver felt that the little boy’s crying was not the typical temper tantrum. There was evident fear in his eyes. That is not how the typical child looks when getting on the bus with a family member, even if they are in the middle of a tantrum.

Try as he might, T. Watson couldn’t resist looking from time to time at the new passengers. The little boy continued to cry despite the man’s bidding. It seemed like the man was urging the little boy to sleep or keep quiet. It was unusual for T. Watson to check on his passengers in his rearview mirror so frequently; however, there was something in his gut that was forcing him to take notice. There was a strange feeling, but he just couldn’t figure it out at once.

When he looked again, something caught his eye. Looking through his rearview mirror, T. Watson finally realized where his gut feeling was coming from: he remembered the news that he had read that morning about missing persons. According to the newspaper, a three-year-old boy had been reported missing from a library in San Francisco.

T. Watson tried to recall the other details he had read as a suspicion quickly boiled in his mind. As a father of two, T. Watson believed his gut was telling him something. The little boy on his bus could possibly be the one the police were looking for. However, he knew he could be wrong as well, so he tried to remember the other valuable information stated on the missing persons report. Lucky for him, his mind cooperated: the missing three-year-old boy was wearing a blue shirt, plaid shorts, and red Crocs on his feet.

At that moment, T. Watson imagined how the young boy’s parents felt not knowing where their son was. He started thinking about his own children at home and how he would feel if one of them went missing. Remembering the details from the newspaper, T. Watson thought of a way to take a good look at the boy so that he could be sure. He couldn’t just stop the bus and confront the man; he had other passengers to consider as well. Whether the child was the missing boy or not, T. Watson didn’t want to alert the man that he was suspicious. If it indeed was a kidnapping incident, he didn’t want to scare the man off.

He continued with his normal driving pace and resisted the urge to look at his rearview mirror. The man’s eyes had become alert by that time, and it seemed to T. Watson that the passenger looked impatient to get off the bus. At any moment, the man could change his mind and exit with the boy. It seemed that no other passengers had noticed; they were busy minding their own business.

T. Watson knew he was running out of time. He looked at the road and tried to calm his thoughts. Then, just like an answer from above, he figured out exactly what he should do to make things look as casual as possible.

Pulling the bus over to the shoulder, T. Watson turned around in his seat, projected his voice clearly across the rows, and announced:

“One of the passengers who had ridden the bus earlier left a green backpack.”

He added that before they left to go to the next stop, he needed to check the bus first. T. Watson even made a pretense that the rider who had left the backpack was adamant about knowing whether it was still on the bus or not.

Then, trying to appear as casual as possible, he stood up, walked down the aisle, and politely instructed everyone along the seats:

“Check under your seats.”

When he got to the position where the man and the little boy were sitting, he was able to get a good look at the child. As expected, the boy, who had grown tired of crying, was wearing a blue shirt, plaid shorts, and red Crocs—just like the missing boy on the news. At this point, T. Watson was sure it was that little boy he had heard about.

After the search, T. Watson casually returned to his seat and devised the next step he should take. He knew that it would not be a good idea to try and deal with the situation on his own, so he came up with a better plan. The man and the boy were seated in the middle of the bus, and the engine was loud enough to make soft sounds inaudible. Moreover, they were looking out the window, the boy evidently exhausted from his tantrums.

With trembling hands, T. Watson reached for his phone. He started driving again, and at the same time, he discreetly dialed the emergency line.

Whispering into the receiver with focused urgency, T. Watson told dispatch:

“There is a boy on my bus that fits the description of the missing boy.”

The police on the other line firmly instructed T. Watson on what to do. He listened intently to the plan. Although he was feeling quite nervous that something might go wrong, the determination to save the boy made him fearless. The police told T. Watson to continue driving to his next stop as planned. Things were set into motion, and they guaranteed him that officers would be there waiting.

Once again, T. Watson checked if the suspected kidnapper had noticed that something was going on. It seemed that he had not; at least the missing boy was nearing rescue.

T. Watson arrived at the next stop. Instantly, two police officers covered the rear of the bus, while several officers moved in at the front doors. One by one, they allowed the riders to exit. While some looked a little shocked at why there were police officers around, no one dared to ask questions. The authorities were all eyes on the bus, waiting for the man and the boy.

When the two stepped down, the police officers pried the boy from the man’s arms and arrested the suspect immediately. The alleged kidnapper made minor attempts to struggle, but it was unsuccessful; the authorities were determined to save the boy. The three-year-old child seemed to understand that he was being saved; he snatched the hand of an officer, and a look of relief was evident on his innocent face.

Then, the two were taken to the police station for further investigation. It turned out that the parents had already been told about the possible lead. When the police arrived at the precinct, they made the call. The parents were extremely relieved and were on their way to see their son in no time at all. T. Watson could only imagine how happy they would be to find out their son was safe and sound.

Of course, the parents of the missing boy, as well as the police officers, were extremely thankful and proud of what T. Watson had done. If not for his excellent memory, strong instinct, and alertness, who could have known where the innocent boy might have ended up.

The story was worth sharing, and before T. Watson realized it, he became an instant celebrity. When interviewed by local news reporters thrusting microphones toward him, the courageous driver simply shrugged and said:

“I feel I just did what any father would do.”

If T. Watson hadn’t trusted his gut on this, there is a good chance that boy would never have been found. Reflecting on the entire experience, T. Watson looked straight into the camera to deliver an important reminder:

“If you feel something in your gut, you have to go with it. Having hesitations could end up to regrets later on.”