Watching school crossing guard Larry McCrary manage the traffic at the intersection of Talley and New streets in Decatur is like watching a maestro conduct an orchestra.
With arms raised, stop sign in hand and whistle dangling from his mouth, he gracefully moves around the small, but busy intersection with precision to get children across the road safely and help confused parents to navigate the carpool line for the first time.
His third year working with City Schools of Decatur, McCrary, 64, is a familiar and welcome face in the neighborhood. Multiple “Hey Larry!” greetings can be heard from smiling parents and students as they cross the busy intersection.
“I’m kind of excited to be back.” McCrary says. “I was off for two months but my kids, I miss them.”
Credit: NATRICE MILLER
Credit: NATRICE MILLER
McCray returned to work Thursday, the first day of school in Decatur. Most metro Atlanta schools begin classes Monday.
A native of Columbus, Mississippi, McCrary worked as a substitute teacher before moving to Atlanta in 1989.
He always loved working kids, but ended up working in law enforcement for 26 years before retiring.
A well-known retiree inspired McCrary to his second career, and an opportunity to work with children.
“I thought I was going to travel and relax, but after reading an article about retired NBA player Adrian Dantley being a school crossing guard, I said ‘If a millionaire can do that, I can, too.’”
McCrary is returning to the corner of Talley and New by popular demand this year. The parents told his supervisor they wanted him back.
When his shift at Talley Street Upper Elementary School is finished, McCrary heads directly to an intersection in front of Beacon Hill Middle School.
“It’s a tough area because of the traffic so they like me here because of my experience as an officer. We are trained to do all of this stuff.”
At 9:02 a.m., the alarm on his watch goes off, signaling the end of his morning shifts. Most days, he relaxes at home before returning to the elementary school around 1:30 p.m. for the afternoon shift.
“This ain’t about the money. Having a job helping and protecting kids has always been on my bucket list. The most rewarding part is communicating with the parents and kids. They know me and they know I’m here to serve and protect.”
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