Midnight Bus To Flagstaff
It was a cool October night
When I stepped on the bus.
As it pulled out of the station,
There were just twelve of us.
I made my way to the back seat,
Put my bags overhead,
Because the hour was getting late,
I had stretched out for bed.
I noticed then this older man
Just sitting five rows up.
He read a book as he drank from
His spill-proof coffee cup.
And then I saw the monogram
That both his bags had had.
It was the letters CAG
The same just like my dad.
As we rolled down the interstate,
All others were asleep.
I thought I'd introduce myself
And made it to his seat.
We talked 'bout politics and sports,
Whatever came to mind
As that midnight bus to Flagstaff
Went humming down the line.
We talked about mistakes we made
In our lives him and I.
And then at once, he got choked up,
A tear fell from his eye.
I asked him what was wrong, he said
"My one regret today
Is leaving, yes, my wife and son.
Just up and walked away.
I couldn't handle fatherhood.
It was too much for me.
So in the middle of the night,
I left my family. "
He said he wished he could go back
In time and do it right
As that midnight bus to Flagstaff
Just rolled on through the night.
He said he heard his wife had died
The year two thousand ten.
I thought how strange he would say that
'Cause that is the year when
I lost my mom, God rest her soul,
When I was just nineteen.
I only knew my father from
Old pictures I had seen.
He wished that he could find his son
And look him in the eyes
And with the most sincerest heart
To him apologize.
I asked him what his wife's name was
And then I was so glad
'Cause this man I was talking to
Turned out to be my dad.
Then I hugged him and he hugged me.
Our eyes filled up with tears.
We had a lot to catch up on
What we missed through the years.
Now that midnight bus to Flagstaff
Has a special meaning, see
'Cause that is where I found my dad
And where my dad found me.
Copyright © David Gordon | Year Posted 2014
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