A Pistol and 4 Days in a Waco Hotel

4 days in Waco
Wearing my best slacks, new shoes polished
by an airport prophet
this whole town stinks of pickup trucks
low class southern accents
and a wet dog named neighborhood dog
I walk into a small little café on the corner of Main
decorated with black and white pictures detailing the town’s history
it’s got that whole quasi atmosphere of Johnstown and Kool Aid©
I order a cup of coffee, black, 2 sugars
avoid drinking the coffee, just observing the people
coming up with the conclusion that the entire state of Texas
seems like an experiment in backwards evolution
2 dollar tip, and a note, telling the high school waitress
to get out of here
while she still has some sense of youth and euphoria for life
she smiles in that not so famous I’M CONFUSED Texas smile
3 blocks down Main, I make a right
stopping at Frank’s Hardware & General Store
I walk in like I own the place
wearing my best slacks, new shoes polished, and a David Koresh grin
I ask for Frank, who strolls up chewing on a 16D nail
says if he chews on it long enough, he can spit out screws
I hand my business card
“MESSIAH FOR HIRE”
explaining that I am here to clean up after the aftermath of chaos
he says I am hired, hands me a broom
and says clean up in the back
I swept for $5.75 an hour
thinking… did Jesus start out like this?
4 days in Waco, 40 hours and a paycheck
Daddy’s got a new gun
Yeah baby!