Two out of three ain't bad.

Lonely are the people who wasted love and friendship.

Two out of three ain't bad.










I was sitting alone in a Austin tavern in 1996.
Drinking long Island ice teas.
Trying to get blinded.

A old man dressed poorly ordered a water.
Bartender gave him a bad look and walked away.
I told the bartender.

"Give the old man what he wants."

The old man smiled.

Told the bartender.

"Same as my new friend."

He drank the Long Island ice tea quickly.
I ordered him another.
He thanks me.
Asked me.  "Was I alright?"

I told him.
"Not too good.
But I will be fine."

He touched my back.
Told me.
"You got two out of three.
Better then most of us."

He looked outside to the cold rainy night.
Told me.
"All three are hard to hold on to.
You got the booze. Number one.
You still got the road. Number two.
You still got a lot of living left."

"The third one ain't so easy.
Love cost a lot."

I bought another round.
He raised the Long Island.
Make a cheer to life.
"To the road.
To better days.
To good booze and wine.
To sweet woman lost on the road."

He smiled and told me "I was successful once.
I had the big house.
The beautiful wife waiting for me."

"I choose the booze.
I loved the road too much.
Now I sitting with you.
Alone and wishing I held on tighter."


I looked into his sad eyes.
Asked him. "What was really important?"

He smiled.
Told me to order him a double shot of whiskey.
I ordered the whiskey.
He drank in down quickly.

He whispers "Hold on, tightly and be thankful.
If you find the sweet woman.
Who loved you.
Hold on.
Nothing as sad as a old man dying alone."

I left him.
Gave him a few dollars.
Thanks him for the advice.


I learn two out of three isn't so good.
Need someone to love and care for you.



Before it is too late.



              Coyote 


             3 July 1996   

Author's Note

A old poem.

Reviews

[barleygirl]

Such an excellent conversation captured with a touch of melancholy & a bunch of friendliness! I love the way you take your time as you unfold the particulars of meeting someone in your poetic tales. I also used to do Long Island Teas to get blind. I love the 3 things you name . . . how drinking booze & being a rolling stone seem to prevent the third from being a lasting joy in one's life. So relatable! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you dear friend. I love your reviews.

[merit]

Based on actual event I wonder curiously?
great piece;)

[Coyote Poetry]

It was. I learn life was okay in California. I changed my ways and life. Thank you for reading and the comment. I do believe.

[ROXANE DORSEY]

nice and i enjoyed this piece.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Roxane. I appreciate the comment.

[Zackery Alan Daley]

This is one of the best I've seen from Coyote, and that IS saying something.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Zackery. I appreciate the kind words.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

I am a stickler for proper English, grammar, and punctuation; and it's very difficult for me to overlook these issues when reading your poetry. However, I think Katie did a fair job of pointing these things out in her review. Therefore, I will focus solely on the content.

In reading your poetry, I notice three essential things:

1. Your passion for poetry
2. Your love for other people
3. You have a genuinely good heart

I think these three things are important, and you impart all of these in your poems.

This poem in particular is rife with wisdom, a sense of regret, and hope for a better tomorrow. I also appreciate the camaraderie between you and your newfound friend.

Great lessons can be learned from those that have traveled the road before us; and hopefully, they can help us better ourselves along the way.

You did an excellent job of conveying this message.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Linda. I'm doing better. I hope? I have learn a lot from the kind writers on this site. Writing is a constant search for knowledge and improvement.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

I agree with you. I can only wonder at how beautiful your poetry is in your native tongue. As I have often wished that I could translate my work into other languages, I admire your efforts and can well imagine what a disaster I would be if I tried. LOL! Writing is definitely a constant search for knowledge and improvement, so I'll toast to that. :-)

[nicolettox]

He smiled.
Told me to order him a double shot of whiskey.
I ordered the whiskey.
He drank in down quickly.

He whispers "Hold on, tightly and be thankful.
If you find the sweet woman.
Who loved you.
Hold on.
Nothing as sad as a old man dying alone."

man, thank you for this incredible poem!

[IReapAtHighNoon]

It's incredible what the human condition of others teaches us about ourselves. In this world, in this society we appreciate nothing. We think we have nothing, we complain about nothing, we always want SOMETHING. In this society we have become so materialistic that the only time we ever truly think about one another and the worsened condition of others is if we are forced to listen.
I think this poem demonstrates this well, the simple story of a man on the road and a man who has no home, only the man without a home, realizes his loss, the man on the road is now learning his own.

[Chris Yip]

A simple yet poignant tale in a poem. Sad but makes one thankful of what they have. Is it based on a true encounter? A style of its own with words of advice. Good work of American literature.

[Yellow Butterfly]

A like the 'rawness' to this poem, untouched and unrefined and straight from your heart.

The 'WISE" old mans words were a chilling reminder to the choices he made during his life and realised that as his was coming to an end he wanted to make sure yours was just beginning. I am sure this will strike a chord with many who's lifes have been turned upside down with the demons of achol or know of others who chose two out of three. It's never too late to make it three out of three.

An intriguing tale conveying a very strong message!!!

Great write!