The Path To Respect
I rolled into town late at night
after hitching a ride with a trucker.
I said thanks as he pulled out of site.
The diner was open. I’m in luck here.
I stuck my pack under the table.
I ordered coffee, strong, & a steak.
The waitress turned the TV on to cable.
She said ” I need it on to stay awake.”
“Not much business that I can see.”
She said ” It’s slow this late at night.”
I got up and went to pee.
I returned and tried my first bite.
“How is the steak?” she asked so sweet.
“Just like my mother used to make.”
She laughed & slid into the seat.
“What brings you here this late?”
“I hitched a ride with an 18 wheeler.
Back to my old stomping ground.”
“Are saying you’re from here in Cleaver?”
“It’s long ago since I was around.”
“Split in my teens in the dead of night.
Back then the world owed me a living.
I headed for those big city lights.
I starved. The world is unforgiving.”
“I finally landed a job as a busboy.
Minimum wage and a share of tips.
In time I moved up to waiter/busboy.
Then, my break came. I was up for it.”
“The fry cook died. I took his job.
More pay and better hours.
A place to live. That felt odd.
I had access to regular showers.”
“After a couple years, I moved on.
Picked up odd jobs here and there.
A few months & I would be gone.
I never stayed long anywhere.”
“I had my share of small town glories
Life was just a crazy carousel.
Sometimes I suffered more fleas
than I would really care to tell.”
“Lately, I been feeling sorry for myself.
I needed something to turn my life around.
Then, one day, It came to me and I felt
I had to come back to this town.”
“Back to where the whole thing started.
I needed a second start to do it right.
I have felt this is where my heart is.
To do it right, I’ll have to fight.”
“Fight for a respectable name in this town.
Fight to be a man people will respect.
I don’t want you to think I’m a clown.
But, I have a plan that I don’t regret.”
“What kind of a plan do you have in mind?”
“I met a rich friend in my travels.
I saved his life. But, that’s another time.
He had plans he started to unravel.”
“He wanted vineyards and a winery.
There is big money to be had in that.
But, he needed land, you see.
I inherited 100 acres. Right here, in fact.”
“He said this was ideal to grow grapes.
He would put up the money to plant.
I would share 50-50. Nothing to waste.
I owned the land on which he’d plant.”
The waitress said “Sounds super to me.
I own this diner & business has been slow.
I could use the extra business you see.
There’s a motel 2 blocks down for you to go.”
—– 0 —–
10 years later the wine business was booming.
They had acquired more land & planted.
Tourists came to buy & taste the wine for consuming.
“I married the waitress” he said, quite candid.
He was elected mayor in the local election.
He had respect & the family he wanted.
But, the greatest thing he confessed then.
He had found God & the peace he wanted.
————————————————-R. W. Johnson —–(2012)