"Bundle!!" was the cry we'd hear from the other side of the playground. Then we'd run as fast as we could to see the fight. Usually it was all over, or the crowd was too large to see the action. Just occasionally you'd see fists flying and wrestling moves being tried out. Within minutes a teacher would disperse the crowd and if the teacher was lucky, would walk away with the culprits.
Imagine my surprise yesterday morning when the bus doors opened and two girls were engaged in what I can only described as a bundle. The reaction was different form the reaction I was used to. No other children were interested - or at least pretending not to be. One of the passengers was trying to usher them off the bus, and various shouts of "Off the bus" could be heard. Then he called out "Where are their mates" and "come on" to the two that got up "get them off the bus". Then the bus driver saw what was going on and added to the crys "Off the bus". She did make sure they and their friends left. Before they left they were hugging, crying and still punching each other.
I do not understand - I probably never understood the boys in the playground that well, but I admit to being totally confused by the girls on the bus.
The passengers I understood perfectly - their motivation is pure - to leave the bus at the right place with the smallest possible time
lag. The bus driver was true to her mission - 'driving the bus and looking after the passengers'. As we drove off leaving the waring girls, their friends and fellow pupils on the pavement she asked if anyone had been hurt. No-one still on the bus had.
We arrived in Chelmsford without further incident and no significant delay.
I can't help wondering what became of the children once they were on thier own in the High Street.
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