I knew it would happen. I just knew it.

When anyone starts making lists of thanks to be delivered in public, invariably somebody gets left out and has their feelings hurt. Ever watch a sports awards show on TV? Athlete thanks God, then probably his parents and straight to the agent before trailing off into “and for everyone else, thanks.”

I made my list for a preseason football column thanking all those who volunteer for thankless jobs throughout a season. I opted instead to mentally play out a football game in my head, all the while thinking of all the volunteers. It was a great list — concession stand, band parents, the guy who drives the band equipment and even the three guys who walk miles each night carrying the orange yard indicators.

Adding one more generic paragraph — the one the athlete writes when his time in front of the camera is over — I said thanks to everyone who I forgot.

Tuesday morning came and in walked a Vicksburg Warren School District bus driver. Bus drivers! I knew it immediately. I knew I had forgotten the bus drivers. In this district, let me tell you, they take their business seriously. The drivers take their buses and responsibilities seriously. The ones who cart athletic teams and band members from Grenada to Gulfport are serious about those buses. I even had a member of the transportation department relay a bus’ hurt feelings because I wrote that on a trip from Vicksburg to Olive Branch, those bench seats on Yellow Dogs are uncomfortable.

So why did I leave out the one job that would result in a visit to discuss the snub?

I tried in vain to find some trigger point that would have set off my intense bigotry toward buses. The last Greyhound I took made it from New Orleans to Hattiesburg in 4 hours, but the ambience was nice. I did have to squeeze three across on a bus bench seat once, but certainly that sardine-can ride would not make me a raging anti-bussite. I have no answer to the blatant snub.

So, to all the bus drivers who tote football, softball, baseball, basketball or the band — or any other sport so as not to hurt those sports’ feelings — here’s to you.

And to the buses: may your feelings grow strong, your tires stay round and let safety follow you on all your future journeys.

•

Sean P. Murphy is web editor. He can be reached at smurphy@vicksburgpost.com