nice guy

by paul harrison

i was standing by the bar
smoking a cigarette
when she sidled up
never seen her before
and straight away she was off
i only drink once a month
do you think i'm alcoholic...
i'd been drinking seventeen days
straight
i didn't think so
thought she'd probably been
in the psyche wards
a few times
just got out
maybe missing the odd
social skill as later
i found out
talking to the barmaid
another date
maybe not
anyway i told my new friend
i didn't think so
enquired about her health
then sidled off myself
and later
my eyes raw nerve
i stopped the car on green
as an old, haunted man
jerked slowly past
flapping his crutches
like two broken wings
gotta stop drinking
i thought
cos sometimes
you're a really nice guy
the beer between my legs
and the horns going off inside