One month before retirement, after 42 years of spotless service as a school bus driver, Ray Mercer is abruptly suspended. The reason? A parent spots him at a motorcycle rally. Mrs. Westfield snaps photos of Ray in his leather vest beside his Harley and stirs up alarm, calling him a “dangerous biker element.” Principal Hargrove a man Ray has known and trusted for decades caves under pressure.
“Administrative leave pending investigation,” he says, avoiding Ray’s gaze.Ray’s impeccable record zero accidents, lives saved with CPR, snowy roads navigated suddenly means nothing. Nor do the charity rides with his motorcycle club, the veterans they support, or the quiet acts of kindness he’s offered generations of children. Heartbroken, Ray retreats to his garage, grieving a community that turned on him without hesitation.