The old man counted the change handed back to him by the kid behind the counter…two dimes and four pennies…dull in color…nothing shiny ’bout ’em…nothing new…

He placed the coins in his left side pocket and smiled at the kid…popped open his Pepsi and took a swig…the youngster just looked at him…didn’t say thank you…or come again…they both nodded their heads at one another in agreement that nothing would be said… kid went back to stockin’ cigarettes in the above rack…

An announcement came over the loudspeaker…, Bus leaving for Louisville…Nashville….Memphis….with transfers in Little Rock for Dallas and points west now boarding at gate 12…, the gray haired man with wrinkly leather skin picked up his bag and started towards the line forming…there was always a line…

The old man stood next to two Mexicans wearin’ cowboy hats at the end of the line…talkin’ in Spanish…couldn’t make out a word bein’ said…but he picked up on their intentions…probably headin’ south for the pickin’ season…noticed there was other Mexicans in line as well…almost a whole line of Mexicans…, Just doin’ jobs we won’t do ourselves…,the old man mumbled…,Just doin’ jobs we won’t do ourselves…, took another swig of soda…

And the line grew and grew as he waited for the bus doors to open…white kids with guitar cases in their hands…blacks with earphones on…movin’ their heads to the beat…a toothless old Indian woman tryin’ to handle three kids climbin’ the walls and cryin’…the old man just looked ’round…shook his head…, This country’s changin’…sure is changin’…, he thought…keepin’ his words to himself…

Last call for gate 12 bus leavin’ for Louisville…Nashville…Memphis…changes in Little Rock for Dallas and points west…now loading…, people picked up their luggage and began to march…single file…the old man followed suit…

Soon he was gonna be on that Greyhound headin’ to Dallas…himself with a bunch of strangers…no-one to talk to…just him by himself…all alone in one big mass…

The line was now movin’ steadily and people were pilin’ into seats…fillin’ up quickly…the old man sat next to a Mexican with a thick mustache and a gold tooth…

They didn’t talk the whole time…