Fast Eddie

If there is one thing can be said of the Race Track it is "That here you will find men at odds with life. Yet a brotherhood of likeness abounds".

Photo compliments of Ben White.

At the track kitchen that morning

I was playing cards with some friends,

There sat Pop Sigh, we called Dead Eye

and Fats Jimmy, who drove the Benz

The fourth man was Wheel Chair Eddie

a boy of eighteen, I'd been told

In a wheel chair, his cross to bear

on each God had broken the mold

Fast Eddie as I called him

suffered from Cystic Fibrosis,

"Outta my way" he'd always say

"don't need no damn diagnosis"

Eddie was cleaning up on us

 took me for two hundred and three

He was the best, wiped out the rest

 taunting all of us with his spree

The others always let him brag

in pity for his condition

Well that might be, but they weren't me

I'm not given to submission

"Eddie, you're a gimp legged freak,"

I'd said giving his chest a tap

"Get off your butt, keep your mouth shut,"

"hey Morgan I don't take your crap"

He waved the money in my face

"you fish bite the same old hook"

"Man" he would say, "you're easy prey

you make it sound like I'm a crook"

"If you'd climb outta that wheelchair

I'd have to teach you some respect"

He'd laugh and jeer, but show no fear,

well now...just what did you expect

But Eddie had such little time 

whereby we all knew his plight

What might I see, if I were he

I'd welcome their taunts to fight

While others made him feel sorry

for the state that he found himself in

Still I could see, he's just like me

though at times I would let him win

I think that's why he'd favored me

 why he'd sought me out most the time

The reason he, played cards with me

in the hope I would drop a dime

I never looked on him as sick

to me he was one of the Klan

He knew I'd say, "Eddie let's play

come on we need another man"

Author's Note

What makes a man a man, respect of his fellows. No matter the infirmity, therein lies our humanity.

Reviews

[lee von cleef]

There is a horse with his name " Fast Eddie Charles" they are twins, Tates' words and that horse, Tates' words and that man are life, they deserve , if you whimper they will demand.
R E S P E C T . Look in their eyes ,they will measure you, they will know if you are deep or just ,top water shallow. That is a man, That is a horse, and you better be "Tied on" if you "Tie"
into either one.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I remember a line out of Shawshank Redemption where the protagonist gets the prisoners beer to drink while tarring a roof. The beer was warm but he says it didn't matter because for a moment they all felt like real, free men. Feeling the acknowledgement and acceptance of our peers can achieve the same effect. I enjoyed the poem. F.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Fabian

[Einstein Noodle]

love the comradery of your old gents, Tate. i especially revel in the ignorance of PC crap in their exchanges. I and my buds gave it to each other all the time. A "manly" show of affection we felt for one another. Nice story telling sir! Not surprised the scene is at the track. ;) As always your poem has a natural rhyme and smooth flow ... it's gentle off the tongue. Don't know how i missed this one.
E.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Gene. We all cared for one another. In our own way we made up a community a town of sorts the city of misfit toys

[JE Falcon]

This was a refreshing read. Fun Too. I could see everyone, cards in hand. Someone half yelling, "Deal, you fool, I'm Losen money! --- As you so rightly put it, ("I never looked on him as sick --- to me he was one of the Klan").

[Tate Morgan]

The race track was a world unto itself thank u

[M. J. Smith]

Many times, they are stronger then us. Met gal out in Galena, KS. She rode a recumbent bike. Spent three cruising with her. Her back was twisted. But she was hell-bent on seeing the world. Lord! That one could tell a ghost story!
She died not long after I met her. Complications from her spinal condition, I heard. But if she had it to do over, I'm sure she'd do it again.
Life with no regrets. That's what they teach us.

[Tate Morgan]

You see yourself in others. There is always someone worse off. Thank you

[Richard McLin]

LOVED how this was written. Great piece, and one that I really enjoyed reading.
-Richard.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Richard thank you sir. Life it never seems to disappoint in entertainment anyway. But we seem to be always be finding our way by watching another less fortunate and how they endure so
Much more than we do

[roarke]

well told. Actions and deeds on both sides tell what men are. And whether on this planet a day or a hundred years, every one leaves their life breath to mans legacy.

[Tate Morgan]

Thanks roarke we men are pretty simple aren’t we

[melissa]

Amazing poem tate thank you for sharing your poems keep up the great work and I can't wait to read more

[Tate Morgan]

thank you melissa

[lissalovesyou]

I enjoy the overall meaning of this poem. A man is not limited by his physical ability. He is so much more than that. Great!
lissalovesyou:)

[Tate Morgan]

thank you very much

[Honey-Bee]

Thanks Tate! This is Wonderfully great. Sounds fun! I really like the way it sounds and the flow of words.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you somehow I missed commenting on this Im sorry

[Angi]

Tate, this poem is really good. I like the title, it drew me in and made me want to know who this Fast Eddie was. The story hooked me. That whole group sounds like they have the makings for a hell of a good time. I particularly liked the last stanza. It is not what the body can and can not do that makes the man. I enjoyed this piece. Thank you for submitting. Angi~

[Tate Morgan]

Thank You Angi i appreciate that