What's in my head.

January 19, 2020

Four New

No words saved on
these pages of white
Between those two
on a dark lonely night
Words not meant
for others to see
Of dreams about things
never meant to be

Even if only friends
others would say not
They'd only see two
lovers betraying plot
Best if no words
could ever be found
So none could spread
conspiracies around

******

No shower needs to flow
Let your hair hang down low
Without makeup I'll not peak
And no jammies is what I seek

Running around in your birthday suit
boy that could be a hoot
cops behind you trying to run
I bet that would be fun

I'm sure I know not what I say
for it will not go that way
Yet still we may get to see
Loveliness darting beween the trees

*****

One to hear ones troubles
Their nice to have around
But one to spend your life with
It seems you have not found

You hold your candle High
So others will see the light
But when they get to close
You'll hide it in the night

You know I see a pattern
And handwriting on the wall
Being around a another
Wasn't meant for you at all

You helped me with people
From you, things I've learned
Like not to play with fire
So I will not get burned

*****

One living life on the edge
of the sharpest sword
Teetering back and forth
which will they fall towards

A life of love for which few
In this world has found
Or the reality in this world
That make it go around

The playing with orher's heart
That tortures them from within
Driving us to do things
That the world calls a sin

One side of the sword
Is Broad and nobody will win
But the side of the sword
that I seek is too damn thin

June 1, 2018

A Wild Night:

This was not a good night to be out but I’d just got some money, and get Betty out of the shop - she had more bullet holes in her than a soap strainer. She looked great - with her new paint job, she was running like a champ. As I turned off Third onto Mickle Lane there on the corner under the streetlight, I saw her.

From the minute I laid eyes on her, I knew this was going to be a wild night. You can tell a lot from a quick look. Her clothes were not the style of a lady who frequented Third and Mickle Lane at two in the morning. No, not on this side of town.

Good thing the rain had slow down or I might not have seen her. This girl was wet from head to toe. You would have thought she'd been tossed off the ferry and she'd had to swim to shore. Her hair was as black as the night and clinging to her. Her white silk blouse was doing some clinging of its own. Like a new puppy in an orphanage full of kids.

Her face said she was older than her body said she was; also, she wasn't from this side of the world; and she was scared.

I pulled up and rolled down the window to see if she needed help. From the look she gave me you would have thought I shot her with Baby Sue, the thirty-eight I keep in my pocket. I could tell it was a good thing I had baby with me tonight. This girl was in trouble and going to need my help and I was going to need my baby.

Before I could say she was safe, she saw the other set of lights coming our way fast, she jumped in my car and, with a wave of her hand, was telling me to "Go."

I was thinking how she was getting my new seats wet yet that was better than last week when Two Tooth Jack pulled a twenty-five auto out and tried to pop me. After what seemed like a thirty minute fight I had to shoot Two Tooth in the leg. Man all that blood on Betty’s set, now try adding that to his wife’s bill with him bleeding all over her place.

That’s when I heard the first shot - a popping noise outside the car. When I looked to my left I realized the side mirror was gone and all that remained was a hole the size of my fist.

She did not have to tell me again as I popped the clutch and Betty was out of there. I don't know what they had but Betty was doing all she could.

Good thing I had another thing going for me in that I knew this side of town like the back of my hand and I hoped they were from the other side of the bay.

With the rain and me not getting Betty four new shoes, I took out three light posts and a big blue mail box. I hoped old Uncle Sam didn't find out it was me. I owed him too much already.

By the time they got around the mail box, I had just the time I needed to do a one-eighty on the slick road and we were now face to face. I’d hoped they were not up for a game of chicken.

I looked over to tell the girl to buckle up, but all I saw were two eyes peeking from the back seat at me. I pushed her head down and reached for Baby Sue.

I got off four rounds when they passed me.

All I saw was their headlights going off the road to my left and their car hit a big tree.

I never looked back again.

I knew a place out of town, a little dive coffee shop. They have some of the best apple pie you could put a fork into.

As I pulled up, she jumped from the car and started running. I yelled at her “I have your purse”. She stopped, turned around and came back.

We sat there sipping coffee, I was tring to make some sense of it when Melly comes over and starts on me about paying my tab. You know how it is - a guy gets down on his luck and they never stop hounding him.

What do you know, this girl pulls out a C note and gave it to Melly then waved her away.

With my luck, in walks a flat foot. He pulled up a chair and sat at the end of the booth, he took a sip of my coffee and told me I still used too much sugar.

Officer Chuck, his name was Chuckerlon but don’t try saying that with a mouthful of coffee. Anyway, he starts telling us about two guys they found in a wreck. The driver was dead from what looked like a thirty-eight bullet hole and the other was shot up bad. Well the guy that’s not dead (it works best that way) told the cops about some hit they had on a banker and his daughter. They had been trying to make it a double hit all in one night and some nut in a big black car snatched the girl and shot them up then drove off west.

After seening my car outside, Officer Chuck said he was going to take the lady in to identify her father and the two shooters.

As they started heading towards the door, she turns and blew me a kiss.

Great, now Betty is going to need at least two C notes to fix her back up and all I get was my tab paid!

"Hey, Melly, pour me another cup and bring me some apple pie. Oh, and by the way, put it on my tab."

May 29, 2018

Handmade:

Cindy Graham stood in her bridal gown before the mirror, smiling at her reflection. Her gown was pure white silk, with a sinfully low-cut neckline and filigree silk sleeves right to her fingertips. Cindy’s father had over two hundred, one carat diamonds sewn into the bust line, replacing the traditional sequins.

She turned to look over her shoulder, and smiled at her teacher, Betty. Betty had been her best friend for the last seven years of her life. After the accident, at age twelve, Cindy had little hope of living a normal life. Suffering a large loss of her motor skills and twenty percent of her speech, she couldn’t have imagined that this would ever happen to her.

Betty asked. “Have you seen Rick today?”

Still smiling at Betty, Cindy said, “I nevah thought I’d get mawwied, Beddy. Look at me. I’m standing in my wedding dwess and will be Mrs. Wick Dobbs in just two maw days and you’ll be at my side, as my handmade of honaw.”

Betty smiled and hugged Cindy. “That’s maid of honor, sweetheart, but have you seen Rick today?”

Cindy replied, “What do you think of me now, Beddy? See how predee I look?”

Betty couldn’t believe her eyes. “Oh, Cindy. You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen. Rick is a very lucky man.” It was true. There stood a grown woman with the body of a goddess; Cindy wore the most gorgeous handmade gown that her father’s money could buy.

“Cindy, listen to me,” Betty said again. “Have you seen Rick today?”

“No, I have nod seen him sense yesdewday. Why?” Cindy wanted to know.

"Cindy, remember when we first met?" Betty asked

Cindy giggled. "Yes, you know I do. How could I forged Beddy? We have been best fwiends ever senses. If nod for you I would nod bee here doday. You know I wuv you and anything I have is youws."

Betty stepped up behind Cindy and kissed the back of her friend’s head. “Sweet heart, your friendship and safety are the only two things you know I want. I just want to be sure this Rick Dobbs is the right man for you. This has been such a whirlwind romance.”

“He wov’s me, Beddy. He dells me so when he kisses me.” Cindy grinned.

Betty took Cindy by the hand and led her to the sofa. “Oh, sweet, innocent child. I have never told you the story of why I first came here. Why I first took the job to care for you and be your companion. I never dreamed you would have to go out into that world I ran away from. I never wanted you to face the things you are about to face. Yet, when I see you standing there, I knew I had to let you go to let you grow up.”

“Could you help me with my dwess? We have do gew weady for dinnaw. Wick is coming ovew.”

“Sure,” Betty said, as she helped Cindy put her wedding gown back into Cindy’s private walk-in safe.

“Cindy, I tried to tell you why I came here,” Betty said, and then she went on with her story. “Nine years ago, I, too, fell in love with a man named Scott Mosley. He looked something like Rick. He was tall and slim, with a smile that could melt your heart from across the room. All my girl friends thought I was the luckiest woman in the world. Scott had us all fooled. The day I turned my term paper in on ‘Rehabilitation of Lost Motor Skills,’ I found Scott had stolen it and turned it in a week early. I was told I would be given an F for the semester, be expelled from school and would never receive a license to work as a therapist because they would charge me with plagiarism. The worst part was I found out Scott was married the whole time. The day of the disciplinary review board Scott brought his wife and two kids along. The kids were only three and five. His wife knew about us and she allowed it so she could be married to a doctor someday. I interviewed for this job the next day and your father hired me on the spot. What I have tried to tell you is, I hope Rick Dobbs is not just another Scott Mosley.

“Wick would never do thad do me,” Cindy said as she hugged Betty.

The butler was heard in the hallway saying, “Dinner is served.”

When the two ladies reached the bottom of the stairway, there stood Rick.

“Hi, love,” Rick cooed. “What has my girl been up to all day?”

“I dried on my wedding dwess to make sure was nod do big,” Cindy giggled.

Rick leaned very close to Cindy’s ear and whispered something no one else heard and Cindy started laughing out loud.

“Naughdy boy.” Cindy was still laughing when she got to the table.

Throughout dinner Cindy’s father had a very stern look on his face. Betty and Cindy both knew that he was very upset about something. They also knew it was best to just wait and let him stew on it. He would get around to letting you know in his own sweet time.

“Rick,” Cindy’s father said sternly. “I want to see you in my study right after dinner.”

“Yes Mr. Graham. Right after dinner I’ll meet you in your study. Right after I tell Cindy goodnight.” Rick knew his future father-in-law did not like or trust him. Still, he was not going to cause a scene that would upset Cindy.

When Rick entered the old man’s study, Cindy’s father was already sitting behind his desk.

Rick walked over and sat down in one of the two chairs in front of the desk. Hell, he felt more like he was on a job interview rather than he just having a chit-chat with his soon- to be father-in-law. “You wanted to see me, I take it.”

“Rick, I will get to the point. You know Cindy will someday inherit every bit of what I have. You also know I would do anything in the world for her. I have a check here for a half a million dollars. I did a background check on you last month and found you seemed to have left a long trail of broken hearts behind. . If you thought you would break my daughter’s heart just to get her money, you don’t know me very well. So, here is what we’ll do tonight. You take that money, walk out the door and nothing will ever be said. You don’t take it, I’ll see to it you’ll never get a hand on one cent of her or my money.”

Rick reached over and took the check. After he looked it over he, smiled at his would be father-in-law, then folded the check and placed it in his pocket. “I thank you, sir. I wondered when you would get to this. I’ll have the check cashed by noon.” Then Rick got up and walked out the study door.

“Damn,” Mr Graham said. “I never thought he would have taken the check. How wrong could I have been?” He knew he would have to tell Cindy the next day.

Mr. Graham asked the butler in the hallway the next morning. “Have you seen my daughter and Betty today?”

“Yes, sir. They went out to that new mall, sir,” the butler answered.

“Well, when you see them, please have Cindy come see me.”

“Yes, sir. The very first thing,” he replied.

Betty and Cindy s had just left a shop in the mall when they saw Rick walk up to a young woman sitting on a bench in the food court. She got up and they threw their arms around each other and hugged like they definitely knew each other.

“Who is dhad giwl Wick hugged, Beddy?”

“I don’t know, but I’m ready to go home now,” Betty replied.

When the girls got home the butler told Mr. Graham, “Sir, Miss Cindy is home. Would you care to see her before or after dinner?”

“After dinner, thank you. Oh, it’s ok. I’ll tell her myself.”

“Very good, sir,” the butler muttered, as he turned and left.

That night, as the butler said, “Dinner is served.” the front doorbell rang.

In walked Rick with the woman that Betty and Cindy had seen him with at the mall.

“Hi, everyone. I would like you to meet my younger sister, Tammie Dobbs. Her ship was dried docked in England, so she took some time off to come to our wedding. She’ll be house-sitting while we are on our honeymoon.”

Rick walked over to Mr. Graham and slipped him an envelope. Then he walked back and put one arm around Tammie and one around Cindy. “Sis, you should see the food in this dump.”

After they were out of sight, Mr. Graham looked at the envelope and saw it was from the same law firm he used. Inside he found a prenuptial agreement along with a bankbook. He flipped it open to see a half-million dollar deposit in his daughters name Cindy Cynthia Graham. The prenuptial stated that anything in Cindy’s name prior to or after their marriage Rick couldn’t touch. It was signed and dated the day before.

Mr. Graham smiled and said, “Hell, Cindy is right! It looks like he was handmade for my little girl.”

May 25, 2018

One Dark and Stormy Night

Listen up everyone. Let me tell you a story about a friend of mine that died and what happened between him and this snake, (One Dark and Stormy Night).

John Thorson was driving back home from a party at his brother’s house where the liquor flowed like the rain that had just been hitting old Thorson's windshield.

Anyway, somewhere down around Possum Holler John's wife asked him, “Did you see that big old snake laying in the road just back yonder?”

It seems my friend didn't so he stopped and started walking back up the road with a golf club and flashlight in his hands.

Well sure fire if Thorson's wife wasn’t right and there all curled up in the middle of the road was a twelve foot timber back rattlesnake.

The snakes head was lying up on top of his rain soaked body and those two snake eyes seemed to be drilling a hole into John's brain.

Will it was either the snake eyes or all those jelly jar drinking glass full of his brothers Mike Thorson’s 190 Proof corn liquor he had just brewed up for their other brothers birthday party. Yep that was one hell of a party. There was dancing and fiddling and some of the best Bar-B-Cue I’d suck my teeth into in a long time. Mary Henderson was looking sweeter than a tree frog on a moonlit night. You know the frogs you used for catfishing down in the Hollers.

Heck there I went and all most got off the story. Ok back to it. I'll try and not wander off too much.

Thorson looked at them snake eyes all glowing in the moonlight like two tiny lumps of burning coal. Yes the moon had just peeked out from behind them there storm clouds.

John's wife said, “That is when the strangest thing happened.”

There her old man stood over the top of that snake, feet apart, shoulders back, and head down.

In the moonlight she saw him start back on what was probably the best back swing he had ever done. In seconds with both hands locked on that golf club and his eyes glued to that there Timber backs head, he swung.

His wife said, “Officer it happened so quick from that time on I didn't even have time to blink.”

That old snake must have watched them playing golf because just as that club got to his head he pulled it down inside his corals.

I know by now you're all guessing what happened. You’re all thinking that old snake popped his head out and sunk its three inch fangs into John's leg.

You-all would have been right but life just doesn’t work that way.

Okay, okay you-all are asking if that didn’t happen, then what did.

I can tell you this. You didn't guessed any part of what happened next. Okay I'll get back to the story and tell you. John Thorson missed. From the way his wife told it to me, “He never had a chance”.

Heck, John being the golfer he was, he kept right on swinging. With a follow through the likes no one in the valley has ever seen him do.

There the two of them stood. He in that stand you see on top of them cheap trophies they give the kids out at the local club. There that rattlesnake was, still peeking up from inside his corals.

You’re asking yourself right about now, if the snake didn't bite him, where is this all going?

Heck give me some time to catch my breath and I’ll tell you.

Okay, where was I. Oh that’s right.

Anyway John’s wife was standing there looking at them two fools. The snake and her old man in the middle of a highway still looking at each other, when the biggest bolt of lightning she had ever seen hit the end of John’s golf club.

That bolt of lightning was so big it melted the asphalt around John and that snake for ten feet coving them both from head to toe with asphalt.

Okay I know some of you all are asking, how come the wife was not hit by the lighting also? Remember John had to walk back up the road to get to the snake. The wife told me she didn't want to get that close to any old snake and she stayed by the car, about a good city block away.

When I drove by the next morning to see for myself the highway crew was still trying to chip the two of them out of the asphalt.

The wife said she had a change of heart. She was going to bury those two fools together, but now she thinks she'll just stand them up by his old 54 Ford truck that was still up on concrete blocks out there in the front yard as a memorial.

I need to get this written and posted before the widow Mrs. Thorson has another change of heart and stops inviting me over for supper every night.

April 30, 2018

Where Am I:

Do you know where I am?

A different place for each rhyme.

I saw the stars on stormy nights
And watch the New moon glow
I see many sun rises and sets
Because of how fast I go

I walked around the world real slow
With both hands pointing south
No bird will I ever see
That live here round about

My feet stand on molting rocks
My hair is frozen white
Yet things moving around me
Some fish with tiny lights

Another thing I must ask
As birds look up at me
Why do I set in this thing
And pay a great big fee

Water, water every where

And not a drop to drink

If I should die tomorrow

They’d throw me in the brink

So if you know where I am
Please don’t tell another soul
Because once I’ve taken this trip
On any others, I cannot go

Three strikes and I’m out

Yet no game have I played

I fear for what I heard

I’ll not see light of day

Words to my left and right

Others high and low

But without my little card

None will they let go

A white sheet rapped around me

Power from my tummy to my thigh

There’s a great big window

And at me people waving Hi

10.

Now this is the easiest one

For I’m seven feet tall

Some guy keeps whistling

And taking away the ball

March 6, 2018

Four Trees:

Four Trees:

Two paths ahead

Where do they lead?

One went to heaven

The other hell

The entrance between

Those two paths

Were guard by

Four trees

Once you passed

You’d never get back

That was their job

You see

February 28, 2018

Road Less Traveled:

Road less traveled

The theme it's to be

Something about myself

Few will ever see

Most of my story’s

Start with a rhyme

Giving you an idea of

what you’ll read this time

So this is the roads

I normally don't go down

You’ll see a side of me

I don't show round

Ghost:

The ghosts that walk within my mind

have walked there through endless time

In the shadows they hide and wait to spring

to remind me of so many things

They remind me too well

my life has been a living hell

Am I so very small

that I have to read the writing on the wall?

To find out that it was I

who placed the ghosts where they lie!

Left:

When she left,

my heart left with her

this passing of time

is now forever

Though longing tears

I will always weep

not finding her in

my arms so sweet

My heart will tremble

till we unite

the fire grows low

that burned so bright

Have I forgot the touch

of her sweet hands

when holding me

would feel so grand?

Though in time it seems

it all will fade

I cannot win this war

for which I wage

To hear her voice and feel

her kiss so light

is all that waits

this lonely night

Love Is Stronger:

His true love waits for him,

beyond the misty streams.

He sees her in his heart,

and holds her in his dreams.

A robin sings a lonely song,

with words he can feel.

Knowing the love of his life,

is laying so very still.

Hearing her call out his name,

over the oceans waves.

Beckoning him to follow her,

beyond her lonely grave.

No sun shines on his face,

flowing tears block it out.

Love is stronger than one's life,

looking up in pain he shouts.

He feels her hand slide in his,

he sees her glowing hair.

As he walks away with her,

he sees himself still there.

Life:

As he lays there with her

they hope of things to be.

Little toys and lots of noise

around a Christmas tree.

They lay holding each other,

talking about their plans.

He feels life in her womb

with the touch of his hand.

They plan of trips to take

down beside the sea.

Cool water will splash

upon their baby's knees.

He waits in the room,

with family standing round.

He is alone not by her side

he hears a chilling sound.

Looking at their smiling baby,

he can see her in her eyes.

Kneeling at his wife's grave,

he says his last good bye.

Moon:

Silver hands glide through grassy woodlands,

while shadows dance across golden leaves.

Eyes glow red with fiery glances stolen,

small creatures scurrying with the breeze.

Glistening brooks sway with every shadow.

Their music beckons for us to come out and play

Watching us while we wandered aimlessly,

knowing where we walk she lights our way.

Great oceans though strong beckon to her call,

giving up their water over shores so grand.

Hand in hand lovers will gaze with envy,

together while walking through cool wet sand.

He Remembers:

He remembers the day he met her,

she was standing out in the rain.

Stopping to see if she could use his help,

she looked at him as if he was insane.

He remembers that sweet round face,

glistening eyes and those cute little lips.

Dropping her off at her house later on,

she happened to let her phone number slip.

He remembers the day they were wed,

her standing there in pearly white.

His car covered in paper and soap

and the first for them both that night.

He remembers the kids the first one

then two, and what number three!

With the nose and toys, and little cuts,

out back in the play house tree.

He remembers the doctor standing there,

not looking at him as he speaks.

He stands alone there by her grave,

tears flowing down both cheeks.

Sweet Dreams: