All Night Pharmacy

[couchgrouch]

All Night PharmacyOl' Tom takes the stairs step by stepso his swap meet shoes don't slipand he fractures his fragile hiplike he did last Marchhobbles streets at a painful pacepast cardboard condos in alleywaysand women caught in the cold embraceof the midnight boulevardas an El rattles overhead in the darkhe nods to some punk with a graffiti'd heartneon sign blinking red n bluehe steps intothe all night pharmacyon the corner of Grant and Twelfthwhere the clerk pops No-Doz'fore he stocks the shelfand randy boys with retainer grinspick up packs of extra-thinsthough it's got what hungry nighthawks wantfew things can fill hollow lives that hauntthe all night pharmacyTom limps past the Frito standwith two prescriptions in his handhe asks for generic brandsthen looks around while they're filledthere's Mars Bars, People magazinesliquor aisle with Mad Dog and Jim Beamand he senses all those thingsare just diff'rent jars of pillshe takes his bag and leavesknowing life breeds many thievescos whether it's cash or Tom's Medicarepill comp'nies get their sharefrom the all night pharmacyon the corner of Grant and Twelfthwhere the clerk pops No-Doz'fore he stocks the shelfand cheapskate husbands buy VO5as last minute gifts for their wivesthough it's got what hungry nighthawks wantfew things can fill hollow lives that hauntthe all night pharmacywell, Tom barely makes it home with his pillswhen that punk comes by with pockets fulla billsol' Tom puts frozen peas on his hip when it achescos he pays the rent with with money he makesfrom his all night pharmacythe all night pharmacy...(c)2006 Robert George