Mangled Message

Mangled Message


Ah…

To have one's own post melt-down diploma,
to pull one's good-as-new '58 Airstream trailer
into a Southern Cal. driveway,
mobile home for now.

Temporary,
of course.

Granddad and Grandma smile
knowing it's better
a grandson in the driveway
than sharing their same roof.

So here I place my claim
amidst sunbaked split levels,
oozing post war euphoria
among red blooded streets,
named after red blooded Americans,
Lincoln, Washington, Roosevelt
and of course
Nixon.

That's temporary,
of course.

Come 6:30, suffocating thruways
deliver Granddads home,
sporting their commuter compacts
proudly displaying license frames
proclaiming ghostly dreams
"My other car is a Mercedes".

Into their house with a
"California or bust" remembered war cry
continuing to be drowned in cheap libations
poured into knock-off Waterford crystal decanters.

Ah…

The 1st quick shot, neat,
then across the shag rug
dropping into the velveteen La-Z-Boy recliner,
continuing to lull themselves Heroic
pouring the real drink of warriors,
Wild Turkey and coke.

Flip on the dial
take in the reruns of M*A*S*H,
then onto a chest thump
as another late night repeat
shows George C. Scott stepping up
onto that magnificent stage,
stars and stripes behind him,
swagger stick ready to do damage,
ivory handled Colt 45s hugging hips
most Granddads lost long ago.

Later…

Slumped in recliner dreams,
remembrances of better times
rendering smiles
upon snore-enhanced lips.

Sons and daughters,
remnants of another age,
growing up with afternoon net surfing
before working the registers at
Taco Bell or Dee's,
followed by night classes
at West Community College.

Ah…

To graduate from anything in the 60's
was to live.

Today…

Even with free rent driveways,
careers for grandchildren
mean hawking car-wash supplies,
hooking up tomorrow's more "duper"
than "super" cable lines,
or, if lucky,
using some paternal
long-term connections
to manage a franchise,
say, Taco Bell or Dee's?

So …

Here's your 2018 equal opportunity job creation.

I'm talkin' ‘bout a vote for “Long Term” humane consciousness
being a vote for moving up
in this precarious country of ours.

My name is Whoever You Believe Esq.,
and I approve this message.