Jimmy Hoyer was trying to block out the sounds of the other kids on the bus as they all sang “Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall” at the top of their lungs, happily accompanied by the older lady seated in the front seat, next to the driver, who had been stupid enough to start the song in the first place.   Although the song had been fun for the first twenty-two bottles of beer, it had become irritating after a while and now Jimmy just wanted them to stop!  He had always felt older than his twelve years, more comfortable with friends that were two or three years older than he was, so it was difficult to get into the happy vibe that was going on in the bus full of children his age, no matter how tempting it had been originally.    The very fact that he was even o...

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