bus-left

other. left behind by, or having missed, a (school) bus, especially in the phrase to get bus-left or to be bus-left. Subjects: Georgia, English

Editorial Note: This term is common in, but not specific to, the state of Georgia.

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Citations: 1988 Lewis Grizzard Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Oct. 28) “Oh Come on Now, Dear Hearts, Let Whales Be Whales” p. A13: We got left, and my companions made me pay for the taxi ride back to the ship, which took all my deutsche marks. “Let’s hang around and have a few more fish,” one of the whales said to the others, and they got bus-left like I did. *2001 Jerry Taylor, Beth Lowrey @ Athens, Ga. Jerry Taylor’s website (Greece, N.Y.) (May 30) “A while ago”: They get “bus left” if they miss the school bus. 2004 [Kristina Blackford] @ Buladean, N.C. Evil Dark Faerie Blog (Mar. 30): I keep getting bus-left in the mornings (and if that happens, I get an earful of curses). 2005 Justina Kestner @ Tifton, Ga. Melo (Jan. 5) “School had been grand”: I got to school after my dad dropped me off bc I got bus left ((damn driver)). 2005 Scott Hollifield Winston-Salem Journal (N.C.) (Jan. 20) “Don’t Leave Me Behind, Mr. Bush” p. 1: Billy looked up to see the taillights of the school bus disappear. This was one child who was left behind. “Momma, I done got bus left,” Billy lamented. 2005 John Reed @ Hazelhurst, Ga. (Private email) (Sept. 2): “Bus-left” Also from SE Georgia, the condition of having missed the school bus. “Latrell, why you so late to school?” “I overslept and got bus-left.”

Posted 7 Sep 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

Actually. I do not appreciate this website using a quote from my Melodramatic blog. You should have asked premission first.
I’m not saying you have to take it down, but you really should have asked me before putting it up.

by Justina Kestner 15 Feb 07, 0449 GMT

Justina, it would be so difficult to seek permission for every quote used in a historical dictionary that it would make compiling the work nearly impossible. In any case, quoting in such a fashion is well within accepted academic practice and is fully legal under the law, according to the Fair Use copyright provisions.

by Grant Barrett 15 Feb 07, 0513 GMT

Unlike Justina, I’m thrilled to have this Web site using my quote and putting me right there in the barrel with Lewis Grizzard. Bus-left may be considered Georgia English, but here in rural N.C., we get bus-left, bee-stung, snake-bit, ass-whupped and mule-kicked on a fairly consistent basis. Thanks for putting me in the Double-Tongued Dictionary. Read my columns at www.journalnow.com and here my podcasts at www.mcdowellnews.com.

by Scott Hollifield 14 Oct 07, 1007 GMT