Along For The Ride

When Mom or Dad drove; he played cowboys and hot-wheels in the big back seat
At grown-up parties they would leave him to sleep back there
(He pretended to sleep afterwards when they fought)
Never needed his license; just rode in back and went with friends.
Married young he took the back seat to her.
Back seat to the mortgage and bills.
Back seat to the kids.
Back seat to the job.
She meet someone and off they drove
(Leaving him to clean up the mess)
Kids gone now; all grown up
New job these days; travels more
Big cities mostly – don’t need a car.
“Cabbie, take me home will ya?”
“77th Street , near West End Ave.”
“Take the long way there”
I’m tired and
It feels good here in the back.
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Table for One

A table for one is just no fun.
Traveling on business you learn.
Tired of hotel restaurant’s snappy themes
* Pumpernickel Pub
* Captain Flapjack’s Galley
* Blarney Stone Buffet
Break the cycle I said to myself!
Go to the nearby “Hard Rock Cafe.”
Have pizza with Elvis and Elton,
(Little Betty Boop won’t eat a thing!)
Quickly seated, so few solo nook request
Would I have a monster bacon-burger with a Gene Simmons?
Maybe a cherry-coke with Norma Jeane,
(her skirt blowing wildly between breathless sips.)
My table was between the restrooms,
Behind the coat rack, but it had a theme!
The obituary of Maureen Starkey,
Liverpool hairdresser and first wife of Ringo Starr.
Conversationally we were well matched.