Out Of Towner

Out Of Towner


Rick will be out of town for a while
Not on business or for pleasure
I hear he’s simply got to get away
not away from his job
not away from the law
not away from the pressures
not away from his “ex”

Rick chooses to be absent
not from the church
not from his responsibilities
not from some roll-call
not from the week-end benders

Rick will be elsewhere
not on a sabbatical
not in the mountains
not visiting some old army biddies he’d like to see
not on a mission for the CIA

Rick has run away
not because he’s a criminal
not because of back taxes
not because someone’s husband wants to see him
not because of child support

Rick is afraid
not due to the power of God
not due to the evil of Satan
not due to the realization that we’re all going to die
not due to the fact that he’s been diagnosed with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Rick will be out of town for a while
Not on business or for pleasure
I hear he’s simply got to get away
away from his family
away from his friends
away from the question “How did he get it?”
away from absent handshakes and hugs
away from the children being held from him
away from being socially murdered before he’s physically dead

Rick is sick
In an out of town hospital
Dying in private
But he’ll return home soon
To be loved in a coffin
A victim of Viral Pneumonia…
Cancer…
Liver…or perhaps pancreas failure
It will be such a shock
And at only 41

Rick will be out of town for the rest of his life
Not on business and not for pleasure
I hear he’s simply going to get away