[b]GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO 
MARCH 24TH 05:30 AM[/b]

It had been three days. Greg Saunders’ bones ached, creaked and protested at every move. Three days stuck in a bus, watching America roll by. Layovers at ungodly times. Dinners and breakfast in dingy roadside restaurants. Time spent reading, eating, sleeping and watching people come and go. Greg rarely exchanged a word with them.

Now, he was finally at his destination. Grand Junction, Colorado. It was where the Chinatown Kid’s letter had pointed him.

“Sir? Sir?”

Greg Saunders paid no heed to the voice behind him as he got off the bus.

“Sir? Sir!”

Now he turned around. It was the lady he’d helped ward off unwanted advances. Her son hid behind her leg, his face peeking out every so often to look at Greg, then hiding itself quickly again.

“I never thanked you for the help back there.” She said, a little ashamed of herself. Greg had seen her look back often to where he sat in the back of the bus. Sometimes he’d give her a courteous nod and she’d look away again. The process repeated itself at every major stop, as people filed out of the bus. When they had gone and she’d notice he was still there, she’d smile a little.
“That’s alright, ma’am.”
“No, really, thank you.” Greg wasn’t sure what to make of her. He could tell she had been in trouble before – and that she had fought back. She had been fighting back her whole life, really. Only Greg didn’t know this was the first time anyone had bothered to fight for her.
So he tipped his hat and said: “It was my pleasure.” Greg turned to walk away.

“Wait!”
“Yes?”
“Can we buy you breakfast?” she asked. Behind her leg, her son held his breath. “It’s the least we can do.”

Greg looked the two over, then heard his stomach rumble. He smiled. “Sure.”

Her son exhaled and now, in a flurry of excitement, ran up to Greg, extending his hand. “My name’s Miguel. That’s my mom, Maria.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Miguel, Maria. Greg Saunders.” The old cowboy tipped his hat again and Miguel stood in awe. “Wow,” he worded silently.

“Come on, kid, let’s find a Denny’s.”