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.

[Sweet_pale_cacophony]

You capture beautifully a sense of nostalgia in all your writes..yes to know and understand the one who loves us and needs us than to understand only what and who we need is a greater lesson learned..

[M. M. Lovar]

I love that your writings are stories and I love the meaning within them. They're real and beautifully written. :)

[emmajoy]

Life turns us inside out and leaves us bleeding sometimes .. better to calm, to think, before running a marathon with life.

What a wonderful piece of writing, what a fantastic moral .. a code to live by, dear friend.

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

Before it is too late.'

[Sean M. Addams]

great job on this very deep and well expressed ... told like a story ... a very interesting piece ..liked this alot !!!

[china]

Wow this is so true. You never appreciate what you have until you hear someone's story to realize just how fortunate you really are. I really enjoyed this poem as it reminds me to enjoy and love the little things in life.

[Allan Eddings]

Something within this poem resonates true with me - oddly so given my youth - but such is the case. Mayhap it is the verity of the words, the poignancy of the delivery, a superb piece regardless!

A.E.

[CLosed]

This makes me reflect on how i like to push people away, no one is aloud to get to close...even the most special people. This is a real thinker, and that is what a gream write does.
Great job

[Author Rucha Joshi]

You know I was drinking ice tea when i read this. Totaly wonderful. I loved it and thought behind it. The choice of words is rocking!
Awesome

[Star Wolf]

So very sad and so true, sometimes people get so obsessed by something nothing else matters anymore until it's too late.

[KatiePie]

I feel like this just changed my life. Life is so taken up by the need for adventure, to always be on the road, that type of lifestyle can be so addicting, and when on it we don't ever want to stop. But, "there is a point in our life when life stops giving things and starts taking things away," and when we reach that point, we should all have someone to settle down with, and spend the rest of our forever with.
-Cathrine