The bus driver motioned me to come closer.

It was very late; the sun had gone down. The late bus takes the last stray children to their harrassed mothers, strained homework and late suppers.

'Is your son ill? Diabetes? Low blood sugar levels?'

Odd question.

'No.... why?'

My son stepped out of the bus, looking as if in a daze.

'He fell asleep on the bus and we had to try for a long time to wake him up. He just wouldn't. We thought he'd slipped into a coma.'

Ah.

My son is so tired that he falls asleep on a late bus which usually carries children twice his age.

And he is too tired to wake up.

Bad mother.

Bad, bad mother.