The Srease

 

V

Persist

 

His life had become a series of near misses. Glimmers of success only to turn to dust. Not sure if it was a sign of poor intellect or simply bad luck, he was struck down only to get up and persist. But persisting in the grueling monotony, on the ragged edge of tragedy. He could taste it and it was bitter. Good enough to endure but not succeed. Good enough but not great. Enough but never more. The floor barely able to support him, he'd stumble for the door, but the door remained jammed and denied him passage. Tug as he might it never opened. Intellect or luck?  Neither applied.

 

 

V

Snow Day

“Is there school tomorrow?” the old man asked.

“No, Dad, there's no school tomorrow,” his son answered.

“Why? Why not?”

“It's a snow day.”

“I'll get there early...”

“School's closed.”

“I really like school...Miss Hawthorne...”

“Miss Hawthorne?” that was a name he'd never heard.

“I like Miss Hawthorne.”

“You do, huh”

“I would like to marry her some day.”

“Oh! You really like Miss Hawthorne, do you?

“She's the best.”

“I bet she is. Is she pretty?”

“Yes, and highly intelligent.”

“Oh my, the whole package, is she?”

“When I was in the Navy...”

“You were in the Navy, Dad? That's the first I heard of it...”

“Before your time...”

“I guess so.”

“You were a good boy back then...”

“I was? But not so much so now?”

“Too much like your Mother.”

“Mom wasn't to your liking?”

“She was a hardheaded bitch.”

“And yet you spent fifty-three years together.”

“My mistake...she made me earn it”

“You can't take it back, Dad”

“Not like Miss Hawthorne at all.”

“Mom wasn't so bad...”

“Says you, her only son...”

“I don't know, Dad, Mom put up with you all those years...”

“Miss Hawthorne liked me. Miss Hawthorne loved me! I was her favorite. Should have married Miss Hawthorne...”

“If you say so. She'd be over a hundred by now.”

“I'm going to school tomorrow, snow or no snow.”

“Okay Dad, but you better get to bed early. We'll fix your lunch and lay out your clothes for you,

“You'd do that, boy?”

“I would Dad. Now get some sleep, you've got a big day ahead of you.”

“...my striped shirt...spiffy.”

“Sure thing, Dad.”

“You're a good boy.”

“I love you Dad.”

“Your Mother was a piece of work...I loved her.”

“I know, Dad, she was. Goodnight.”

On the eve of his eternal night.

V

the fight

There's those that did you wrong

There's those that did you right

But it doesn’t really matter

because we all lose this fight.

 

 

V

Chances Shot

I seemed to enjoy a special link

with women of a certain ilk

subtle as a grin and wink

an effective tact one would think

but it's not as simple as I once thought

the ladies now would rather walk

conquests over, chances shot

is it me, or have I been caught?

 

V

GRAVY

Got a message on the machine

From my fine lady

I know what she means

And there ain’t no ‘maybes’

 

She sez...

"Ray-Ray Baby

you drive me crazy

Got me cravin’

your midnight gravy.

Lay around all day

My Thinkin’s hazy

Things to do

But too damn lazy

layin’ here thinkin’...

ALL-NIGHT gravy!"

(Refrain)

Oh yeah…that all-night-gravy

You got the ladle 

and I got the spoon…

Waitin’ for my maker

Come ladle me soon.

I know what works

and I know what don’t

And I know the sailor

that floats my boat

Pllllllleeeeaasssse, Ray-BABY

Bring me home

some of that

Home-made gravy

Your home…

My home…

drive me crazy

I just need some of that

…Homemade Gravy!

I’ll take an order ‘to go’

I know you deliver

Knockin' on my door?

I'm all shivers

I can't take it no more

You're makin' me quiver

Baby! Baby! 

You drivin' me crazy

Bring Mama some Midnight Gravy!

Baby! Baby! Come home and Save me!

Bring Mama home some All-night Gravy!

 

 

V

So Sorry, Courtney

 

She grew gloomy.

Tired of fretting,

she decided to strike out.

After-all there truly was nothing new,

and the sameness was debilitating.

Locked in this droll and predicable cycle,

she had no choice.

She'd either give in 

to melancholy and mediocrity

or take the first chance

she could muster elsewhere

It mattered 

not where.

 

She stuck out her thumb

and disappeared into the night.

Soon to regret her boredom,

she succumbed without a fight.

 

 

 

V