Lester Briggs Died Today
Out In Front of the IGA
Dan Johnson
© 2008 Revised 16 March 2013
~~~
From my book “Lester Briggs Died Today”
Out In Front of the IGA
~~~

Today:
Lester Briggs died today,
Fell over while standing next to his old Chevrolet.
God, he looked old and gray.

There he lay face down, eatin’ dust,
Just like he had his whole life through.
But spending his last days
waitin’ and hopin’
for something that was a distant dream…
while waitin’
out in front of the IGA.

Lester Briggs use to say he’s been around these parts
For longer than Donald was a Duck;
today though…
Lester Briggs heart plain ran out of luck.

Lester stood next to his ol’ truck while the Silver Snake
Wound its way across the land. Every day at 3:48 the
East bound arrives, heading to big cities and bright lights,

The west bound seldom stops at night
Every once in a while the reflection of the moon would show
A guy, his truck and his life searching other places,
Other faces,
then he and the train would be gone.

Two Days Later:
Preacher’s wife from the Hilltop Church of Christ sang
“Safe Am I” and “In the Garden”,
those were the two songs
that made Lester cry.

The IGA closed for the service,
The Silver Snake slowed and blew three long toots
And Lester was laid away wearing his favorite old boots.

The Day After They Buried Lester Briggs:
The Silver Snake stopped out in front of the IGA
a sweet ol’ lady stepped off the train,
She looked around, could not see Lester Briggs,
Got back on and went away.

Too bad, she did not know…three days before,
Lester Briggs died, out in front of the IGA.