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City disembarked here. She found a taxi and was about to leave, when I approached and told her how sorry I was. She said that she was okay, and that after thinking about it, didn't feel so bad. She told me that a couple somewhere else had had their baby kidnapped at a bus station, so she didn't feel so bad. She said that she had only lost material things- which could be replaced. Then she wished me a Merry Christmas and went on her way.

As I boarded the bus at 2 am, and looked at the faces of the burned-out passengers, I thought to myself, this must be what the damned souls in hell look like.

The miles went by and we seemed to be making better time. The snow that we had seen along the road between Pendleton and La Grande was still there, meaning a lot more of the same when we arrived at Salt Lake City. This got the kids excited, because it was the first white stuff they had seen all winter.

Eventually the Wasatch Front came into view, to our left.

As the miles passed, I meditated on insomnia, wondering what kind of wicked things I'd done with my life that merited this curse upon me.

Connor slept on, his head laying across my legs as he sawed little logs.

Carol was sleeping fitfully, but the girls were doing okay.

The erupting Asian boy behind me had finally passed out, and was sleeping soundly. To make sure that I stayed awake to enjoy the nighttime scenery, he pounded the back of my seat with his fragrant sneakers. The thumping and aroma would continue to assault me for the last three hours of the trip.

The rest of the Asian family finally dropped off to sleep, Grandma occasionally waking up to patronize a courtesy bag before nodding off again. I believe the Asian boy's brother also threw up a few times during the night.

We were soon within striking distance of SLC. The sun was coming up, a fact that distressed me, since I had seen it go down, with no true periods of sleep between the two events. I didn't feel that tired now- just very burned out and partially numb, especially where I sat.

The bus came into Salt Lake City, and we were now all awake. There was snow everywhere, and the city looked beautiful. The driver pulled around to the back of the bus station, a taxi cab in front of him. The taxi pulled up into the space where the driver wanted to park, and he vented his displeasure by laying on the bus horn.

The cab driver wouldn't move. Because the bus had to stop momentarily, it lost its momentum and we started sliding backwards on the icy street. The driver backed up the bus, made another run at the incline, and we were done.

Unloading the bags and luggage, we staggered away from the bus terminal, seeking a ride on the light rail line to my sister's place. In my dazed condition I nearly stumbled off the platform and into the path of an oncoming rail car, somehow stopping my forward movement at the last second.

It was time for bed.

Learn more about this author, Dan Hiland.
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