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.

[David W Moore III]

Two out of three ain't so bad but not so good either huh? Nicely written and insightful. I liked it

Wow! Smart that ol' man! :> And quite true what we have here.

[profile deleted]

My marriage ended becauuse of alcohol. He drank 2 cases of beer a night.. 20 - 23 beers a night.Figure it out as to how many bottle & cans that is in month. give or take a few but it was pretty darn close to 672 beers a month. I dont stretch it either he did drink this amount. I wish i was lying but sadly im not. I left because of the abuse. Physical abuse was daily as much as the alcohol. Started 2 weeks after i married Aug 20th 94 divorced 1 day before my 4 yr anniv. Aug 19th 1998.. People need God first in their lives & then God can help them change. 3 things i see are God, self & then others! Give to God, Receive from God & Give to others & everything will all fall into place. Great story there Coyote!

[alesuriko]

Quite a few minor grammatical problems but nothing that hindered the flow too greatly. But this is a very beautiful poem from the eyes of an old man. That is a very good saying, it made for a good read and a good message. Well said.

[Amy Bumpas]

So true, life is wasted somtimes on our obssessions that we
can't see what is right in front of us. We lose ourselves in
the process, and that's when we become alone because we
don't even know who we are anymore.

In these lines:I looks into his sad eyes.
Asks him what was really important?
(it should read "look" and "ask"
Envoking tale about life:)

[deeps]

Tale of alcohol. Deep meaningful write, Story told well.

[Crow]

As usual a piece that is sad, heart warming, and true all at once.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

[Bubo]

I just loved this..........alcohol ruins lives, I know having had a partner addicted, it ruins your life, what life you have and nothing else matters but the next bottle, you sacrifice love. Friends, and everything.
You wrote a deep message, from someone who travelled that road, that nothing is better than love......I thought you did a great job with this emotional write.

[SimplyDisastrous]

More like a story than a poem but then that's what makes a poem, a story, right? I feel bad for the old man. I'm wishing he had taken the right road instead of the one he's on right now. An excellent, sad, tale, Coyote. Good job. =)

[Kelsie Eileen Stark]

This tells a story of someone who has lost something or someone? Very nice. :]