You know you're home when:
You notice duck hunters wearing tank
tops and camouflage in the dead of winter
The dishwasher with the slicked back, black ponytail and
handlebar mustache looks over his shoulder
The ammo’s sold out on Black Friday before 9:00
Balding heads cower beneath their baseball caps
Twitching figures jaywalk Montgomery Street
The hard-etched lines from the dehydrated face remind you of a
canvas revealing a smoker's storyline
You know you are home when:
The motorcycle man wearing his kinky yeard
makes his début next to the gumball dispenser
The broken smile that warms your heart is missing teeth
The tweeker with the glow sticks dances on the river walk beside
you
The hearing aide in the next booth needs new batteries
The waitress with the long skinny braid serves you oatmeal with
all the sweetness of maple syrup
The woman with the draping apron hanging down to her knees grips
her oxygen line as she struggles to breathe
You know you are home when:
The black Chihuahua sits shivering in its Christmas sweater on
the dashboard
The potbellies and binkies keep each other warm
The sweaty cook flipping hash browns peers from behind the sheet
metal window wondering just how much longer he must flip
Hoarse laughter erupts from the touchdowns that were touched
The bible verses and hot cocoa attempt to purify the way
The mama with the blue hair and butterfly tattoo on her sternum
lights up as she mother-eases a passing babe
You know you are home when:
The silver haired senior trembles in her son's arms
The wise eyes of a native soul meet your own
You know you are home when:
You see all of nature’s diversity residing in the horn of plenty
Compassion dawns and empathy reminds you to walk in their shoes
You know you are home when:
When perfection is recognized in the cornucopia of being
When the doors open in the local coffee shop, and you accept
people just as they are for your own healing…
That’s, when you know you are
home
