She sat in the bus station,
    Atlantic City, USA,
        waiting
for the bus from North Carolina,
    bringing her Jimmy
        home.
He was a quiet man
    from small town America,
        a weekend warrior.
A National Guard quartermaster
    sent to liberate
        the peope of Iraq.
Fourteen months later
    he was coming home,
        a casualty.
How has he changed?
    Was he damaged goods?
        Was he still her lover?
An hour had passed.
    The bus was 
        late.
She bought a cup of coffee
    from an ugly machine,
        to calm her nerves.
Then he appeared
    like a vision in the mist,
        searching.
She spilled her coffee
    down the front of her dress,
        hesitating.
He saw her,
    pitched his duffel aside, and
        flew across the terminal.
Safe in his arms,
    smothered by his kisses,
        whirling around and around,
she knew love had triumphed.
    Despite the odds,
        they had survived.