shot down by every blonde or broad I stopped to talk to
tossed out into the parking lot around two
doused in the obnoxious sounds of the college crowds
thought instead of drive it's better I walk it out
misplaced my car keys at State & Park street
walked 'til I came upon a vacant bar seat
between the Macy's & Salvation Army
'cause it's late, thought I'd stay & not sleep
saw an engagement party, dashed inside
she was in the staircase, glassy-eyed
I was like, "ma'am, you're fine? go ahead, let it out"
she said, "silly stuff, but I'm feeling much better now"
a youngin, set to star in her wedding walk
now at 21, and already locked down
about to be a wife in a preppy, posh town
she said, "instead I wanna shed it all now...
I used to want to write & travel the world
but I traded that for vicuna fabrics & pearls
statues of alabaster, caviar swirls
mink jackets, Caravaggio murals..."
that slow ease into nothing, of convenience & comfort
instead of the feeling of something
evenings in London, posh meetings & functions
everyone's telling you what you're needing or wanting
grew up in the south streets of Chicago
where it's two to a bed, counting sheep with their eyes closed
had crazy dreams of leaving that life ghost
don't make a peep, or daddy beat 'em with twine rope
fiancee was a Harvard man, daddy was a Crimson too
and that can get you blue when you haven't been to school
since the class, where Ms. Hackett forbid you to
it was simple math, you just couldn't sit it through
said, "I got the strangest thought, let's take a walk a minute ...
it'll maybe jog what made you fall for him..."
she hesitated long to take my arm
and we made our way to her favorite park off 8th & Broadway
she yawned & talked faint, drifting to dream
as her body lost weight & slid into me
I watched her sleep for awhile, at peace with a smile
deep breathing & freeing each demon she filed
the screech of a tire woke her, said she had to go
back to Joe & grab a taxi home
but if she turned around once, I knew that she'd stay
that's when I heard the sound of... ("Louis please wait")