The Ballad of Francisco ‘Cisco’ La Strone
Dan Johnson
© 1989, revised October 2012

One day a long time ago I met this man, he took me on a journey, this is what he had to say.

My name is Francisco ‘Cisco’ La Strone,
I live in the Mission Hotel,
But Texas is my home.

I was new to Portland, lived in this shabby room,
Not much to do…so that day, I decided
To put on my shoes, shake off these new town blues,
On this oh so hot day in early June.

I walked down to the Barley Mill Pub for a brew or two or three,
And a bite to eat.
I bellied up to the bar, ordered my beer,
Picked up the paper to read,
And took my seat, waiting for my food,

Quiet was the Barley Mill as the clock ticked close to noon,
When from nowhere a loud and thundering voice came un-tombed.
No one could escape it, including me, but he did hone in on me.
“Don’t turn your head away from me, sir,” He continued, “Others
Have tried but no one can escape it.”

I was not afraid….just wanted peace and quiet,
There he stood at my table, saying, “May I sit here sir?”
His request, how could I resist it?
With his pint of suds, he landed in the chair and stuck out his hand,

What’s your name he asked…Dan is what I said, then he wiped his face,
Smiled and said, “My name is Francisco ‘Cisco’ La Strone, I live in the
Mission Hotel, but Texas is my home.”

Cisco continued, “A boxer is what I was,
Don’t remember when or where, my head’s in a fuzz.
My heads been busted black and blue more than twice,
My nose was always on ice, I promise the words I say are not lies,
But the greatest and only memory of this old Mex. Is…
Being crowned the heavy-weight champion of Texas.”

Taking a break for more beer he spotted my French fries, oh well
I thought, didn’t want them anyway. Cisco said, “I’ve lived in Portland
For four years now, the Mission Hotel is my home,
But no one will ever forget me because I am Francisco ‘Cisco’ La Strone.”
I watched his eyes, blurry, yellow, wandering, beer soaked,
He drifted into becoming temporarily mellow.
Told me about fighting in that Korean thing, even won some medals,
A paratrooper said jumping made him feel so free.
He also said he never thought he’d live to be sixty three, but he did.

Then he stood, up from the grave he arose, smiled and asked, what’s your name?
Dan, said I, then he retorted, in his beer soaked song,
“I am Francisco ‘Cisco’ La Strone; the Mission Hotel is where I live,
But Texas is my home.

His words were filled with emotions; they left tracks running across his face;
Cisco looked way past all his yesterdays, trying to remember a better time and place.

Cisco wandered off to find the rest of his day, left me with words that ring even today, as he departed, he said, “Hey Dan, don’t forget, my name is Francisco ‘Cisco’ La Strone, I live in the Mission Hotel, but, oh how I miss it, Texas is my home.