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A Friend for Christmas

The automatic doors at the bus station parted as Teddy stepped inside blowing a warm breath inside his cupped hands rubbing them together to create a warming friction. Being stationed at Fort Drum, New York you get used to the travel delays but you never get used to how the cold violates your body. But even the weather couldn't sour Teddy's mood today. It was Christmas Eve and he was going home for the first time in two years since joining the Army straight out of high school. The last time his family saw him was at his boot camp graduation. He had still been a boy. Now, after a tour of duty overseas and two years of maturity under his belt, he was excited to see how his family would receive him upon returning home. When he left for the Army he had not been on the best of terms with his parents or the neighborhood police department. He was just a kid back then doing what kids do when they're bored and have no goals.

He took off his hat and scratched his buzzed head looking for a seat. There was only one seat available in the overcrowded bus station. In a far corner, beside a man, who had looked like he had seen better days. His hair was unkempt and wild, standing up all over his head like Albert Einstein. His clothes were filthy and he looked frail. He had a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Teddy reluctantly sat down beside him and dialed his cell phone.

"Hey Ma. Just calling to let you know that I probably won't make it home tonight for dinner. There's black ice everywhere and the snow is really piling up. Tell the family I love 'em and hopefully I'll see everyone tomorrow as soon as this God forsaken weather clears up. I love ya, Ma." Teddy held his phone to his lips after leaving a message for his mother. His thoughts lingered to somewhere far away from the bus station.

The stranger beside him rustled the newspaper that he was reading and folded it neatly on his lap. "Where's home?"

Forced out of his daydream Teddy turned his head but didn't look directly at the stranger beside him. "Scranton," Teddy replied. He didn't elaborate on his answer and busied himself, pretending to check his voice mail and started to play a game of solitaire on his phone.

"Those dag gone military cuts never change, do they?"

"Excuse me?" Teddy dealt himself a new hand never looking up from his phone.

"When I joined in '69 I knew that I was gonna go to war but no one told me that they was

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