I Shall Be Released

So I went ahead and provided you with my version of the "ole spiritual."

He Was A Weird Guy Series

He often thought of cats but never once while he had a fork in his hand or while wet.

He had his own ranking system for boxers based on their shorts and robe.

He knew how to pick locks even though girlfriends never found use for his skill outside of "Betty" from The Knotty Pine Pub who gave him the worst case of crabs.

He ran with scissors for every 5k he entered.

His idea of getting a workout while doing yard work usually just resulted in dirty headbands and leafy garden beds.

He once drank a 12 pack of schlitz for the sole purpose of telling his friends he had a bad case of the schlitz the next day.

Versions

One way to find a difference between music artists is to listen to versions of the same song.

So.......

And for Mel's Diner lover's, the Linda Lavin version:

And Homeland's Mandy Patinkin:

The Breakroom

“What are you waiting for? Hurry up. Follow me.”

They dashed through an alley full of steam, around dumpsters, past darkened doorways. The smells from the dumpsters invaded their nostrils and seemed to propel them forward…faster and faster. But only he knew where they were going. She was all in now and she knew it. She held his hand as she dashed along behind; excitement filled her heart along with a tinge of fear.

“Here, here,” he rasped, “let’s go.”

Light broke as he plowed through a door and flew down a flight of steps; she had trouble keeping her feet and just as she was about to fall, he caught her and whispered, “I’ve got you.” They were at the bottom of the stairs now and the light from the top now faded and darkness closed in on a damp hallway. She was afraid now. She trusted him but she was afraid.

“Don’t worry. You’re with me.”

Every time she reached a stopping point he reassured her with perfect timing. And his voice comforted her and his confidence emboldened her to hang along and follow him into the darkness…but just not unafraid.

“This is it, this is it” he spouted as he flung open a double door that somehow magically opened to a restaurant kitchen filled with all the sights, sounds and odors of a busy restaurant. “This is one of the best restaurants in the city and I know one of the cooks and he lets me eat in a small breakroom and he cuts me a deal. Are you cool with eating in a breakroom?”

Her heart soared, her fears flew away, and she simply melted at the thought of him. And now to be in front of him after this gesture was just too much. “Are you kidding, I’d love to eat in a breakroom. Can we get shrimp cocktail?”

“We can get whatever you want.” He gripped her hand a little tighter as they breezed past line cooks and waiters as he strolled up to a man who appeared to be the manager. “Hey, Joe, is it ok if we get some shrimp cocktail and flatbreads in the breakroom?” “Sure thing” he said as he winked at him.

He grabbed two bottled waters before he came upon the doors of the breakroom. He smiled at her and looked her right in her baby blues. He kept his gaze on her as he opened the door. She thought he was about to kiss her so she never looked away from her as he reached back to close the door. Then he turned out the light and the breakroom went completely black.

11/3/14 Poems

CHANCES ARE

Yes, safe and sound

Free from hustle & bustle

Snug in the proverbial rug

No bangs no bruises no cuts or scrapes

Virtually no risks

Absolutely no fun

BURNING HOPES

Smiles in a sad sad world

Few & far between

Eons of night, dreary night

Tumble down & crumble crowns

Hopes dashed, slashed & burned

& brightly burning

Showing the way to another place

Where perhaps in the dimmest of light

A faint smile flickers like an ember