So he started keeping a journal of funny things that happened on his nightly cruises around campus. Soon enough, Downing noticed categories of stories forming that he would document.
“Throw-up stories, fight stories, two girls fighting, makeout stories, what do you want to hear?” he said with a grin. “They became chapters.”
One of the chapters is titled, “Losing Your Qdoba.”
Downing is planning to call his book “Halos Hangin’ on Horns: What Happens When Momma and Daddy’s Angels Go to School.” He said the title was inspired by something his father, a Pentecostal preacher, used to say about him.
His job as P2P driver, like his book, is also rooted in his past.
When Downing was a junior in high school in Morehead City, his best friend died in a drunken driving accident. Downing said he felt he needed to do something to make sure other people he cared about wouldn’t get hurt — but his first roadblock was his 11 p.m. curfew.
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“I asked my parents, ‘If I have friends who are drinking and driving, can I just go and pick them up instead?’” he said.
His parents agreed, and for the rest of his high school years, Downing would go out at all hours of the night to pick up friends from parties who needed a ride home.
“I started my own P2P basically in high school without even knowing it,” Downing said.
He attended Campbell University, and even though it’s meant to be an alcohol-free campus, he continued to help his friends home at night. But college changed everything for Downing. At age 19, he had a child and got married.
Now, Downing teaches science full time at Jordan High School in Durham and has almost completed his master’s in administration from UNC. He hopes to be a principal.
In addition to teaching, Downing is also the coach of the girls’ volleyball team and the boys’ golf team — a convenience, since coaches need the same license as P2P drivers.
Downing drives Friday through Sunday and said he tries to make the ride enjoyable for students.
“I asked myself, ‘What can make that more fun?’ Lights, getting a radio to make the music louder, get on the mic and make jokes and tell stories, and lots of times people start playing games.”
Downing said he will try to keep the book as anonymous as possible by not using students’ full names.
Alex Phillips, a sophomore who had Downing as his golf coach in high school, said he thought the book was a good idea.
“With today’s culture, it seems everyone wants an insider’s view of stuff,” Phillips said. “It’s really kind of neat, and I think people will find it interesting. I bet he’s got a lot of good stories; he’s like a bartender.”
Downing said he has written about 100 pages and that he’ll finish writing this summer with hopes to publish in the fall. One of his former students is now a publisher and has agreed to publish his book.
“I’m not trying to get a bunch of money. I just want a written record for myself,” Downing said.
“You guys have written the story for me. I’m nothing special. I just drive the bus around. You guys are the story, and I just happened to witness it and put it together.”
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
