reluctantly going down that stoney road I never wanted to go
the water reflected a lonely and uncertain face that belonged to me
It would be all right if I could just make it to the coast somehow
was never one for hitchhiking but as they say desperate times call for desperate measures
a light rain began and it somehow seemed to become a holy experience
said a prayer and caught a ride with an old steelworker on his way home from his shift
being a former steelworker myself, we hit it off
talking about coke plants and boiler houses and slag
corrupt unions and corrupter companies
he turned on some country music which I don’t really like
but I was out of the rain and off my feet
I wasn’t going to complain
considering all that I’d been through that day
it sort of felt apropos ya know
felt tired but didn’t dare fall asleep
the green road signs were just a blur
through my side of the raindrop painted windshield
he dropped me off and wished me well
I thanked him, my faith in humanity restored
at least for a minute
the stars were with me that night that’s for sure
it had quit raining and I walked the rest of the way
to the house where my supposed friends were
none of whom could pick me up
at last I made it and they were all there
I heated up a can of soup and put my feet up
on the old gray ottoman with the threadbare corners
