ADULT FORREST (V.O.)
I remember the bus ride on the first day of school very well.
The bus driver opens the door and looks down. Forrest walks to the steps of
the bus and looks at the bus driver. She is smoking a cigarette.
BUS DRIVER
Are you comin' along?
FORREST
Momma said not to be taking rides from strangers.
BUS DRIVER
This is the bus to school.
FORREST
I'm Forrest Gump.
BUS DRIVER
I'm Dorothy Harris.
FORREST
Well, now we ain't strangers anymore.
The bus driver smiles as Forrest steps up into the bus.
Forrest begins to walk down the aisle.
TWO YOUNG BOYS look up from the seat.
BOY #1
This seat's taken.
BOY #2
It's taken!
Forrest looks around. A larger girl slides over so Forrest can't sit next to her.
She shakes her head. Forrest looks to the other side where a boy sits alone on a
larger seat. They boy glares up at Forrest.
BOY #3
You can't sit here.
Forrest is still standing in the aisle on the bus.
GIRL
You can sit here if you want.
Forrest looks back at JENNY CURRAN, a young girl about Forrest's age.
JENNY
Well, are you gonna sit down, or aren't ya?
Have you ever felt this way?
I have.
I have.
I have.
I have!
On my first week back to class after I was at the institution. Not like no one wanted me to sit next to them but they didn't want to be in any kind of group work with me.
"Sorry, our group is already full."
"Sorry, we haven't figured it all out yet but you can't be with us."
"Nah, sorry, why don't you go with someone else?"
None of the groups wanted me, one girl even told me:
"You know, I like you but the others seem to have a
problem with you and I don't want to lose them so I cannot be
associated with you anymore."
I mean, what the heck? Are we in our 20s or are we in Kindergarten?
Guy, this is Bullying!
I wasn't strong enough to stand up to those people, I dropped out of school. I didn't have a Jenny telling me I could join her.
If you see this happening, be Jenny, tell Forest to sit next to you. He will be eternally grateful!
©Mizz
