Bus East Thru Medicine Hat 1980
BUS EAST THRU MEDICINE HAT 1980
(Bus leaves at 915 must remember)
Cold outside, snow, early in November,
Lethbridge 6 o’ clock bus ( hard seats )arrived at
7 : 45 in the depot at The Hat.
Garbled voice on intercom metallic loud announcing
Destinations but no one’s really listening;
People asleep in sweaty heat unable
To get comfortable angles on their table;
Café windows half-wiped clear in places
To see what’s outside through the spaces;
Fogged from greasy hot air and cooking;
Nothing there- just passengers looking.
Watching police (eggs and bacon - I had no dinner )
Looking for trouble-making soldier
( reading papers, sipping coffees )
Double cops - English military and Hat city police.
9: 15 (oh, that’s me) squeal of brakes, hiss of air:
Regina bus - soft seats room to spare
Light inside too dim to read
Stretch on two seats is what I need
Look out at dark prairie, nothing.
Darkness closes in, stars showing.
Doze and watch others doze.
Through window hear how wind blows.
Driver warns grass-smoker in the back
To quit unseen in the black.
Sweaty sock odour,
Beer cans floor-rolling over and over.
Coffee like tar at Swift Current.
Sleep again ( how the miles just went )
Wake up, down the steps stretch of legs
Regina bright and sunny ( breakfast again - eggs ).
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