Walking wounded

Omigod, the poor dears:

Faced with soaring diesel fuel costs, school districts are forcing students to use the old-fashioned way to get to class: on their own two feet.

Many schools are eliminating or reducing bus service because fuel had jumped to $4.50 per gallon, 36 percent more than a year ago, and is busting budgets.

In California, districts are eliminating busing for thousands of students. Districts in Washington state, Idaho and Maryland and elsewhere are consolidating bus stops, canceling field trips and forcing students to walk longer distances to school to control costs.

Worried parents in Massachusetts have called WalkBoston, a nonprofit group that promotes walking, asking for help after their communities cut back on busing.

Granted, I don't have the professional experience of Walk Boston, but let's see if I can help. Stand up straight with your two feet together. Lift one foot and place it a short distance in front of you. Put foot down. Pick up other foot and place it next to the first foot. Repeat as necessary.

Tomorrow, we'll do "turning" and "stopping," but this is probably more than enough for you to absorb for now.