Was that bottle of tequila worth it, on that warm February night?

Who gave you the power? Who gave you the right?

Jasper trusted in you Tommie, to get him safely back at home,

All he got was your little Red Fiero thrust directly through his heart.

As my son lay in your crushed car, fighting for his last sweet ounce of breath,

Did you once think about him as they were administering your alcohol blood test?

Jasper was only fifteen, he just wanted to hang out,

He didn’t yet know what life was all about.

Tommie, Russ and Cary, I wished I’d never heard of you,

You played a part in the death of my son; we know that fact is true.

What kind of justice system does the State of Arkansas have?

Five days for each of you, who bought the liquor, your sentence was just a laugh. 

You can plead your case to the courts; you can hide behind the law.

But we all know what happened that warm February night,

You bought liquor for our children, but you didn’t kill them all.

The drunk driver that chose to drink and then get behind the wheel is still left on this earth. 

 No one knows why he was spared; only God knows the complete truth.

I'll agree these laws in Arkansas desperately need to be changed,

But it's too late for my precious son Jasper; he's forever cold and alone in his grave.

How can the court let you Tommie, the drunk driver, get by with just 30 days?

Oh Tommie what were you thinking, drinking Tequila and getting behind the wheel.

Did you once stop to remember that my child looked up to you?

He didn't think you would be so thoughtless as to kill.

Are your dreams turned into nightmares? Can you still see Jaspers face,

All twisted up with terror while you were racing that death race.

Who gave you the right to take Jaspers life in your hands?

I never got a chance to say goodbye, I’ll never see his smiling face again.

Jasper thought of you as a friend, he took up for you when others called you  “Nerd.”

Little did he know you would later take his life, with the help from a bottle of tequila on that warm February night.

 He didn’t know any better; I raised him to be everybody’s friend.

Maybe I was wrong in doing that, because he trusted you until the end.

So Tommie was that bottle of tequila worth that much to you?

It wasn’t worth it to Jasper, He trusted you through and through.

You took his life for granted and you took away his rights,

Jasper’s hands were pried off your dashboard, while he was fighting for his life.

Was that bottle of tequila worth it?  Do you yet feel any remorse?

I can still see you laughing while we were sitting there in court. 

I couldn’t see what was funny, you took Jaspers life away,

I won’t see him again until the Judgment Day.

That’s the day I pray, you’ll be able to see the light.

You’ll have to tell Jasper why you carelessly took his life.

You’ll explain to our Saviour the where’s, the when’s, the why’s.

I know you won’t be laughing; maybe then we’ll get a fair trial.

You have a second chance Tommie, one that Jasper didn’t have.

I hope you don’t kill again, I have my doubts about that.

So Tommie while your drinking, please don’t get behind the wheel.

I still have Michelle, Baby Jasper and my husband, I don’t want to see them killed.

You won’t get another chance like this, it’s a once in a life time deal.

The next time that this happens I believe you’ll go straight to hell.

I’ll end this poem with a sad note, I think Jasper would have wanted me to say.

“Please don’t drink and drive because it took my life away.”

Written by Susie Cross

(Jaspers Mom)

On Christmas Eve 1999

My first Christmas without Jasper