" THE MAN IN THE BACK ROOM "

The very place, where you are stationed
Awaits, the most important and salutary lesson
Of any life ~
Where ~ in the back room ~ I sat
And learned of chess and black jack
I one day tumbled into
The unthinkable,
Three, dead and bleeding bastards
Laying before me, on the floor gasping
Gurgling, their last few words
And faced with a silver ~ smoking gun
In my face, I cowered deep into my wheelchair
My protection, and slowly I softly said:
" I'm just the man in the back room
I can deliver a show tune
But ~ I NEVER remember
what happened last September!"
And in my surreal state of mind
I closed my eyes
And I prayed,
Then awoke
To
The Sheriff's jangle,
For after all,
I'm just the man,
In the back room....

Tony Taylor   (Chicago)