The Greyhound bus struggled
Up the grapevine towards L.A.
Trucks passed us cars too
It was Saturday night
I was off to El Paso
To start my truck career

On the banks of the Rio Grande
Over thirty bus hours away
El Paso is the home of my mentor
We are off to places unknown
Forty-two days of molding
A trucker the final product

Said goodbye to my Donna
My JoJo Rascy and Yarra
Seven weeks is a long time
Lonely nights spent apart
Phone lines will burn hot
If only I had my phone

My car sits in Vallejo
At the Greyhound station
Donna will get it tomorrow
Mobile phone and all
What a bloody dill
It is mobile no more

Changed buses in Oakland
One crumby bus for another
An hour there was enough
It's like Vallejo on steroids
Next the World's garlic capital
Followed by Burger King somewhere

Under the cover of darkness
Interstate 5 took us into L.A.
Stopping in NoHo
Before our arrival in Hollywood
Expecting a swarm of stars
My eyes were glued to the door

L.A.'s Greyhound depot
Was an interesting mix
Latino and black people
Were the majority
A sprinkling of whites
It wasn't the place to eavesdrop

New bus new driver
Five foot three dynamo
One tough woman
It was all black and white
No grey areas in the rules
Sit down shut up or get out

A long night had a cameo
Appearance from border patrol
A hot Dodge Charger his ride
Arriving alone leaving with another
An illegal immigrant
Heading back across the Rio Grande

17 hours on the bus
Friendships formed
Not enough sleeping
Stories shared lies told
Laughter often filled the air
This was the happy bus

Tirelessly we powered ahead
Everybody anticipating their arrival
This melting pot on wheels
Accents filled the air
West to east
We crossed New Mexico

A quiet bus attempting sleep
Some with success
Others wishing they had
An uneventful journey
Along a flat endless road
Rocky outcrops creating distant walls

We entered the lone star state
Shortly later we followed a drain
The bus driver tells us it's
Mexico's most famous river
A tall fence on our side
Topped with barbed wire

Across the river of mud
The area more ramshackle
Very old bus moved up the road
So close yet so far
Patrols along the fence
Ensure it stays that way

Thirty hours have passed
Tonight I get a bed
Oops - get your own bed
We'll give you your money back
My new employer's first act
Thinking I am an idiot

Thirty minutes later
Comfortable on my bed
Mr Days Inn had arrived
Delivered me with a smile
Tomorrow Andres and I are off
With Georgia on our minds

​The Happy Bus