`AND ON THE LEFT OF THE BUS YOU CAN SEE RUSH'S..."

Rush Limbaugh III slept here. He also ate Wimpy's burgers, shined shoes, played high school football, dabbled at radio and prayed here.

And his life is now the stuff of bus tours in his hometown of Cape Girardeau.

More than 50 people, including Mayor Al Spradling III, crammed into a yellow school bus Thursday afternoon for a drive-by, 45-minute glimpse at the conservative celebrity's past.

They drove by Southeast Missouri Hospital where he was born, the house where he grew up, his high school, the hamburger hangout that is now a bank, and the barbershop where he shined shoes.

The official kickoff of the Rush Limbaugh Hometown Tour fittingly ended at city hall where participants celebrated Limbaugh's 44th birthday with chocolate cake.

"We are not going to Rush through your tour," quipped guide Pat Renner as the trip began.

For many of the passengers, it was a trip down memory lane.

Passenger Bill Lewis operated Wimpy's, which was a popular hamburger joint at Kingshighway and Cape Rock Drive. It's now home to a Boatmen's Bank.

Rush and his friends used to come running through the front door to grab a bite to eat during the 35 minutes the high school allotted for lunch.

Lewis recalled Rush was in such a hurry one day he accidentally crashed into the door, causing glass to shatter. The high school senior had to get 20 stitches in each arm.

The Limbaugh tour is an effort by Cape Girardeau's Convention and Visitors Bureau to cash in on Limbaugh's fame. The bureau is spending about $18,400 in state and local tourism money in the effort.

Much of the promotion will be in the form of bus tours through Cape Girardeau.

On Thursday, the bus stopped briefly in front of a simple, white house at 412 Sunset so the passengers could get a good look at Limbaugh's boyhood home.

Across the street, a man, seemingly amazed, stared from his front door at the busload of passengers.

The bus also stopped for a moment in front of the Varsity Barber Shop at 1125 Broadway.

Formerly the College Barber Shop, Limbaugh shined shoes there when he was 13.

As the passengers stared into the shop, a grinning barber waved back.

Passengers also caught a glimpse of Houck Field House across the street, where Limbaugh played football for the Central High School Tigers.

He wore jersey No. 12 and scored the winning touchdown in a game in his sophomore year, the tour guide said.

The tour included a visit to Capaha Park, where Limbaugh played Little League ball for three years.

Limbaugh reportedly was one of the first children in the area to successfully throw a curve ball.

The bus drove by Central High School where Limbaugh graduated in 1969. It cruised down Broadway, past the McDonald's Restaurant that was new to town in 1968, and the dental office of boyhood friend, Dr. David Crowe.

Also on the tour was Centenary United Methodist Church where Limbaugh worshiped. As a teen-ager, he competed in the "Know Your Bible" contest.