Greyhound

[couchgrouch]

GreyhoundSam hit that pawnshop with no, visible means of supporta hitchhike ride to town, was all he could affordhe'd promised his brother, he'd make it on his ownbut the icy hand of hunger, had fin'lly pulled him homeso he hocked the bayonet, his dad had left to himtook it from a German soldier, just outside Berlinthe gnawing in Sam's belly, twisted like a bladeas he went to the dogtrack, and wagered his fate on a Greyhoundmade for a life of speedhe loved to feel his heart racewith the thrill of the chaseone day he'll catch his fortunebut right now all he needsis one more greyhoundSam kissed his ticket for luck, while waiting on the racethen in a crowd of people, he saw his brother's facetheir father'd learned to gamble, in the beerhalls of Francenow in their diff'rent ways, his boys lived off chancehis brother bought that dogtrack, back twenty years agohe fin'lly ran Sam off, after paying debts he owednow his brother saw him, gaunt and ghostly whitehe knew beneath Sam's shirt, ribs peeked through just likea Greyhoundmade for a life of speedhe loves to feel his heart racewith the thrill of the chaseone day he'll catch his fortunebut right now all he needsis one more greyhoundwell, they stood there silent, the race was over fasthis brother saw the past replay, when Sam's mutt came in lasthe whipped out his wallet, and thumbed a couple of thoushook his head and shed a tear, then vanished in the crowdwell, fam'ly is nothing, if not sacrifice and debtSam ate a steak dinner, then bought back his dad's bayonetthough the hookers nearby wore, no visible means of supportSam just saw a trip to Vegas, and for once he could afforda Greyhound...(c)2006 Robert George