we sped towards the coastal sunset
until we flew over a hill
and found a rickety old roadhouse at the bottom
a dormant weathervane projected from the roof
a sign of stillness
and staleness
we stepped onto the wooden plank porch
which was missing a plank here and there
an old and lonely dog sat chained
crying to be let inside
its cries and moans disintegrated into the still stale air
and we saw people walk out to view the sky and the desert
and we saw people walk in through a ragged screen door
we stepped inside where a doorman greeted us
his hand had motioned us to step inside
and we saw people sitting in flimsy chairs
looking at holes in the wall where mice lived
and laughing and talking
drinking beer and smoking cigars
butts and empty bottles scattered the floor
and the smell of stale beer permeated the air
and sounds of country music rattled the wooden walls
upstairs was a room where the crazy ones stayed
smoking grass and snorting dust as their minds rotted away
laughing and talking
and staring through holes in the boarded windows
and listening to the floor boards creek
they were all too paranoid to walk to the door
upstairs was a room where the horny ones stayed
they stood in circles naked
watching sexy couples hump on the dusty floor
as they cheered and hollered
and masturbated into the dust
they were all too busy to walk to the door
upstairs was a room where the violent ones stayed
the colonel owned the dusty old place
they beat on punching bags until their fists bled
they watched mob movies with bloodshot eyes
and drank stale beer and whiskey and rum
they wouldn�t open the door for anyone
upstairs was a room where the tired ones stayed
they slept their days away in tears
as the light that beamed through the boarded windows
tortured them with its constant annoyance
as did the sounds of cars speeding by
kicking clouds of dust up from the road
they were all too tired to walk to the door
upstairs was a room where the daydreamers stayed
they wanted to be rock stars and movie stars
and porno stars and sports stars
and every other kind of star
but were all too frightened to do anything but dream dusty dreams
they were all too scared to walk to the door
(Continued)
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