10:30 AM to New York City (2010)

All on board.
Packed in like eggs.
Each in our own styrafoam pocket.
Just a little too close to each other.
Mother and her child.
Loud sassy women, "Hoooeoo let me telll you!"
French couple with too much luggage.
Kid on his cell phone in a heated argument.
Old man mumbling to himself about raw meat and flesh.
Turned around in seats making conversation.
Snippets waft through the bus.
"Its the fif' amendment: I can say what I want."
"What do you mean we gotta stop in DC?"
"I paid to snore on this bus."
The drivers voice booms and crackles through the bus
"I WANNA WELCOME YALL TO THE GREY HOUND BUS FROM VIRGINA EXPRESS TO NEW YORK. WE WILL ARRIVE AT 5:30 AM AT PORT AUTHORITY."

I'm already nervously picking at my face
peeling off scabs
scratching my head
getting an inch of dandruff
under my nails
I'm so tired and dirty
I want to sleep in my own bed
clean my own house
hang out with my own crazy roomates
mine mine mine
selfish?
no
just exhausted
from being away so long
vacations are nice
but I need a reality check.
And a clean pair of underwear.