Hillbilly Elegy

nights I’d lie in bed, unable to sleep
because of the noise—the furniture
rocking, heavy stomping, yelling,
sometimes glass shattering. The next
morning I’d wake up tired and
depressed, meandering through the
school day, thinking constantly about
what awaited at home. I just wanted to
retreat to a place where I could sit in
silence. I couldn’t tell anyone what was
going on, as that was far too
embarrassing. And though I hated
school, I hated home more. When the
teacher announced that we had only a
few minutes to clear our desks before
the bell rang, my heart sank. I’d stare at
the clock as if it were a ticking bomb.