Down & Out!

He suddenly felt he was down and out,

He’d been down and out before,

The time that his wife had packed her trunk

And sallied out through the door,

There are things that leave a bitter taste

And to lose a wife was one,

To lose another was carelessness

But that’s what the fool had done.

 

How often she said it would end like this

But it fell on empty air,

Each time she’d started to rave, he’d run,

She’d turn and he wasn’t there.

He’d go and drink in the local pub

Or gamble a hefty sum,

And roll back home with an empty clip

No money, and just as dumb.

 

She didn’t wait ‘til he came back home

On the night she packed her bags,

He turned the corner and she sailed by

In the Taxi of Randolph Skaggs,

He walked on in to an empty house

The carpets gone from the floor,

His footsteps echoed into the hall

And up to the second floor.

 

She’d left his dinner, cold on a plate

With a note from Shiralee,

‘You’d better enjoy this cold collate

It’s the last you will get from me!’

She’d signed her name with a flourish then,

And left him a last P.S.,

‘I’m halfway sorry it ends like this

But I guess it’s just for the best.’

 

He sat in the dark with misty eyes

‘Til the clock had struck midnight,

He couldn’t get up to save his life,

Not even to turn on the light,

He felt that he’d failed in everything

He’d not even given her kids,

The doctor said he was firing blanks,

He couldn’t win one for quids.

 

His mind roamed over the past few years,

‘Did anything come out right?’

The silence settled and sparked his fears

In the depths of that lonely night,

He found the bottle of scotch he’d hid

And savoured the Single Malt,

Then drank it all, as he always did,

‘Had everything been his fault?’

 

He staggered up to the attic room

Looked under the fold-up bed,

Then picked up one of the guns he kept

And held it up to his head,

He thought that Death with its open arms

Would resolve his problems, quick,

Then pulled the trigger with screwed up eyes,

But all that he heard was ‘click!’

 

He frowned, and picked up another gun

The first one must have misfired,

Then tried again for a second ‘click!’

He suddenly felt so tired,

He found the note that his wife had left,

‘You ought to be giving me thanks!

You’re such a dope, but I love you still…

I loaded your guns with blanks!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Strawberry]

Picked this one by chance (you have so many!) and I'm inclined to go off and read the rest now.

It was emotive, yet funny and ironic at the end. I love how there is the sudden change. I also love the message and the blame that is placed upon the persona. The wife obviously knows her husband that well, it makes you wonder who is to blame for the break-up.

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

A most perfected peice that keeps you reading and thinking, well done.

[A Soap Mess Stories]

Didn't expect the twist at the end! Great story! :-)

[Valentine]

David, a perfect ending for the old buzzard..maybe he will wise up ...if and when she secides to come back home..funny most of them do..only to be mistreated again..Lovely write as always..Kathie

[Marie]

SHiralee was really astute, and if she loves him still there might be hope for their relationship.
I'm writing a story similiar to this poem...it doesn't end at all well...

[quinfinn]

women always seem to have the last word. there is something to be said for their prowess and intelligence. an excellent piece of writing!

[Mariam]

She’d left his dinner, cold on a plate
With a note from Shiralee,
‘You’d better enjoy this cold collate
It’s the last you will get from me!’
I like these lines...a typical woman.I agree with Mark you really entertain us.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

I am your fan Mr, David you always entertain me with exquisite writes, just another great writes of yours, love the end of the story. blindlessly the wife still love his husband. I love the twist and the notes;

‘You ought to be giving me thanks!

You’re such a dope, but I love you still…

I loaded your guns with blanks!’

[Kenilo Kent]

This one had me to the bone! Life is a sweet tragedy for some!

[Carolann Dowsett]

Wow a very bittersweet tale. Seems some men will never learn. :) another great write David.

[Tate Morgan]

LOL That was so cool I read it to Becky.It made me think of what a man might have done just then.And yes the gun was appropoe .Well it sounds like everything he did failed.And in the end he couldn't even kill himself right.This made us think on our own son in law .He took his own life in the end, thinking he couldn't do anything right. It is the easy way out. But I have had these ideas myself on a couple rare occasions.However not in many years. happiness is not just a state of mind .It takes a bit of work to abide anothers wishes.However sharing does make for a better life and a better man.