I’ll Be Home for the Holidays; in a Bus • Winter Bus Interior Sounds for Sleep, Study & Holiday Mood

Intercity bus/ highway ambience—A Christmas Eve decades ago, I found myself braving the Port Authority in Midtown, waiting for a Greyhound to Albany. While loading, I walked fast enough to stay ahead of the folks who might be at the overbooked point. Just that Thanksgiving, I had been dawdling at the end of the line and wound up with a "Sorry, pal. It looks like you're waiting for the next bus."

That Greyhound Christmas Eve ride was years before cell phones had texting, apps, or anything resembling fun programmed into them. If you wanted to catch up on gossip or news, you had to hit the magazine stand before climbing aboard. If you were broke you were left with no shield against another passenger trying to strike up a conversation.

And I was broke, so I didn't want to be near the front of the bus, where the assertive clamored for seats near the driver. Assertive people like to talk. They want to tell you about famous nephews or how they know some obscure ass state representatives and… I don't care, man.

I want to be in the back where no one wants to be. No one is happy because you're closer to the toilet than the driver. At best, it smells like urinal cake. No one wants to open their mouths so much when it smells like urinal cake.

Back of the bus was also ideal because I had jammed a 40 ounce down my pants. I wasn't sure if someone would check my carry-on for alcohol, so I just shoved my Steel Reserve down my oversized Wu-Wear jeans.

The guy beside me laughed while I pulled it out, and I cycled through some nervous ticks. Would he snitch? Did I open myself up to obligatory gabbing?

He raised his hand, reached into his pocket, pulled out a nip of Jack Daniels, and raised it in the air… "Cheers."

Episode image from Pixabay