we’d met in the local jail
I was doing a week
for non-payment on my motorcycle fines
feeling eating living was preferable
& that choice was an easy one
until they stood me up in court
& decided to lock me up for 7 days
nobody knew where I was
it was probably better that way I felt
it was during the strip search
the shower I met him first
in for a year string of robberies
we talked until the man said shut up
& I never saw him again until now
that year later drinking in a locals bar
he bought me a beer all patter smiles
hello motorcycle boy you busy?
clapping his arm around my shoulder
all old pals & offering a driving job
the next night about 1 in the a m
& how to say No I’m not going that way
& then my friends came flooding in
coming over talking of a roadie gig
next town over humping stuff for the band
sleep in the rig between shows
all the groupies booze & smokes on tap
for the next week
& was I in?
& all I could say was yes
nod to the man I at the bar
say I’m going that way