Homecoming
Vienna Teng Lyrics

it's desert ice outside but this diner has thawed my ears
Despite the cold and desolate weather outside, this warm diner has melting effect on me.

hot coffee in a clean white mug and a smile when the waitress hears
The welcoming smile of the waitress, accompanied by hot coffee in a mug sparks a sense of belonging in me.

that I was born in North Carolina
The fact that I come from North Carolina is significant, it connects me with the environment I am in.

not an hour from her home town
Interestingly, the waitress and I share a home state; we both lived close to each other.

and we used to play the same pizza parlor pinball
The memory of the past, specifically, the shared time we played pinball at a pizza parlor is still an interesting point of connection.

and there's a glance in time suspended as I wonder how it is
A moment of questioning and contemplation, wondering how I got to this point in life, where I am right now.

we've been swept up just by circumstance to where the coyote lives
Fate or maybe some other force, beyond our control, has brought us together here near a place where the coyotes roam or maybe away from home.

where my days are strips of highway
My journey has been on the road, and every day is a stretch of road, always moving.

and she's wiping tables down
The waitress' job is rough, and she is working hard, clearing tables.

holding on and still waiting for that windfall
Despite her hard work and dedication, she still clings to the hope of a better opportunity or a fortunate incident which may give her that break.

but I've come home
Despite not being physically in the right place, I feel like I have come home in a different sense.

even though I've never had so far to go
Despite not having an exact place to get to, my wanderings have extended my travels further from my original home.

I pay the check and leave the change from a crumpled ten-dollar bill
Payment for the meal signals the end of that chapter at the diner, and I leave without much thought but leaving some gratitude behind.

head across the street where VACANCY is burning in neon still
I venture out to find new shelter, a place to lay my head, and find a hotel that still has an occupied space for me to stay.

well the night eats up my body heat
The coldness of the night tantalizes my body, causing me to shiver and lose warmth.

and there's no sign of another
I'm alone and scarce is the possibility of others present in the night other than me.

and I find myself slipping down into that black
The impending darkness threatens to consume me, leaving me alone in my thoughts.

but things are good I've got a lot of followers of my faith
Although I am by myself in the night, my faith gives me hope and strength, and it has become my support structure.

I've got a whole congregation living in my head these days
My faith has become such an integral part of my life, and my ideals are my congregation, accompanying me wherever I go.

and I'm preaching from the pulpit to cries of “Amen brother”
I speak from my heart, using my ideals, and the praises of the congregation bring me solace and peace.

closing my eyes to feel the warmth come back
In the quiet of the night and in the comfort of my faith, I close my eyes to feel the warmth and comfort return to me.

even though I swear I've never been so alone
Although I am alone, my faith, and the support it brings me, gives me a sense of belonging that I've never experienced before.

I just want to be living as I'm dying
I seek to live every moment, and write the story of my life every step of the way until the inevitable end.

just like everybody here
It is a shared sentiment, something that everyone can understand and relate to.

just want to know my little flicker of time is worthwhile
I want to be like a point of light, even though my time is brief, my existence still has value and meaning.

and I don't know where I'm driving to
I may not know where this journey may lead me, but I continue to move forward with a sense of purpose.

but I know I'm getting old
Although I am not sure of where I am going, I know that I am getting older and must make the best of the time I have left.

and there's a blessing in every moment every mile
Although there may be unknowns and struggles, there is always something to be grateful for in each moment and every step of the journey.

thin white terry bars of soap and a couple little plastic cups
Small, mundane items found in the hotel room speak to the simplicity and starkness of life, yet they are often the things we take for granted.

old Gideons Bible in the nightstand drawer saying “Go on open up”
The presence of the Bible, even though I am not a religious person, could be a sign and an offer of hope and guidance in the face of the unknown.

well I'll kneel down on the carpet here
In an act of respect or maybe in the realization of faith, I feel drawn to kneel down on the room's floor.

though I never was sure of God
Despite my uncertainties before, I open up to the idea of the higher power of faith in this moment of solitude.

think tonight I'll give Him the benefit of the doubt
In an act of unexpected faith, I am willing to concede that there may be something more significant than myself.

I switch off the lights and imagine that waitress outlined in the bed
I'm alone once again, but I try to hold on to the remnants of the past, and remember the waitress, imagining her presence with me.

her hair falling all around me
I let my mind wander, trying to recall the feeling of her hair and the closeness we shared earlier moments before.

I smile and shake my head
Unfortunately, the memory of the past is bittersweet, but I still reminisce with a sense of happiness.

well we all write our own endings
Each person is the sole author of their life story, which has its spirit and style unique to them.

and we all have our own scars
Each of us has struggles and wounds that we carry throughout our lives; it is part of what makes us human.

but tonight I think I see what it's all about
In the quiet of that night, despite the uncertainties and struggles, something becomes clear and reinforces my sense of belonging and sense of purpose.

because I've come home
Despite the lack of a fixed abode, the journey has taken me to a sense of belonging and homecoming in a way not often experienced.

I've come home
Reinforcing the central theme that despite the physical wandering, the journey has led to a sense of belonging and belonging is the real sense of coming home.