Coat Room Baby

Papi holds the door

while we quickly enter the building

Artificial heat hits our faces

There’s a stuffy smell

probably from windows being shut all year round

And air from old vents that have woken up

from their summer’s slumber

Working overtime to provide

like every other soul on this floor

Loud music and the smell of food 

traveling down subway tiled hallways

A woman’s hyena laugh calling to us

leading us towards 1C

We’re here

We take off our coats

Handing them to the first open hand

Smiles turning towards us

I look to my parents for comfort

Mami is kissing cheeks

Papi is shaking hands and patting backs

My sister is making her way around the room

Before she can disappear for the night

Before I can let the room blur

Before I’m sleeping next to a stranger’s wooly coat

And before I’m waking up in my own bed

Confused and in my little mermaid pjs

”Did I dream of family?”