美國作家Pete Hamill (1935 ~ ) 從事新聞記者長達四十多年。「返家」的故事後來被改編成歌曲「老橡樹上的黃絲帶」，這首歌以及黃絲帶也因此象徵著盼望親人歸來。

從紐約開往佛羅里達州的灰狗巴士上，六個大學生興奮地聊天，能夠遠離陰冷的紐約春天，前往佛州羅德戴堡的金色沙灘過春假，真叫人開心！除了他們六個人，車上還有一個乘客叫Vingo。Vingo一路上坐著發呆，飽經風霜的臉看不出他真正的年紀，棕色衣服嫌大了些，指頭泛黃看來煙癮不小，嘴唇緊抿著一聲不吭。巴士急駛到深夜才停靠一家餐廳，學生都下了車，Vingo卻仍然留在車上。他是正要回家的老兵呢？還是船員？學生都很好奇。
They began to notice that Vingo never moved. His dusty face masking his age, dressed in a plain brown suit that did not fit him. His fingers were stained from cigarettes and he chewed the inside of his lip a lot. He sat in complete silence. Deep into the night, the bus pulled into a restaurant and everybody got off the bus except Vingo. The young people began to wonder about him, trying to imagine his life; perhaps he was a sea captain; he could be an old soldier going home.

第二天巴士繼續往南行駛，一位女學生和Vingo搭訕，Vingo才娓娓道出他的故事。他在紐約監獄服刑四年，剛入獄時他就寫信告訴太太：如果她無法承受這一切，就忘了他、另外改嫁，也不要寫信來。「三年半過去了，音信全無。上個星期，我獲得假釋，就寫信給太太。在我們住的小鎮外，有一棵大橡樹，如果妳仍然接納我，就在樹上繫上一條黃色手帕，我就會下車回家；如果沒有看到手帕，我就不下車。」
 "Well, last week, when I was sure the parole was coming through I wrote her. I told her that if she would take me back she should let me know. We used to lived in this town, Brunswick, and there's a great big oak tree just as you come into town. I told her if she would take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I would get off and come home. If she didn't want me, forget it; no handkerchief and I'd keep going on through."

巴士愈來愈接近小鎮，學生張大眼睛瞪著車窗外，就快看到大橡樹了。Vingo閉上眼睛面無表情，做好心理準備來面對失望。只剩十哩、五哩了，巴士內安靜極了。突然之間，學生們都站了起來，尖聲大喊，手舞足蹈，勝利地歡呼。Vingo還坐著，茫然地望著老橡樹。整棵樹上都是黃色手帕，二十條、三十條，還是幾百條，橡樹好像一面大旗迎風招展地迎接他。年輕人興奮地又叫又喊，Vingo慢慢站起身來，他不再像個老囚犯，而是很有自信地走向車門，準備下車回家。
All except Vingo. He sat there stunned, looking at the oak tree. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs, 20 of them, 30 of them, maybe hundreds, a tree that stood like a banner of welcome, blowing and billowing in the wind. As the young people shouted, the old con slowly rose from his seat, holding himself tightly, and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.