I Told You So

I Told You So

It is tempting to say, “I told you so.”
But Buster keeps his mouth shut.
The gravy is wavy and the biscuits
Are two days old, but Buster keeps
His mouth shut-O but he sings inside
The only joy left to him after standing
In twenty degree temperature outside
The mission doors-1 hour – 2 hour.
“I told you so.”

“The coffee’s wash water again!”
“Go to Starbuck’s,” Buster says and
they all laugh and laugh except for one
voice in the corner speaking with
ardor, “I went there once.” Silence.
A snicker. “We all been there boy,” says Buster
And they all laugh and laugh and laugh some more.
“If you go to Tulley’s they’ll let you have
a cup-if you got no money I mean.”

Buster beats his biscuit with a fork and
Then a butter knife and squints at the
Tulley’s voice. “You hang your head down
Like a beaten dog to take coffee from the
Tulley’s man and you know it and I told
You so-They’s rich and got more beans
Than Columbia, but you hand ‘em your
Dignity for that cup and you know I told you so.”

“I’ll see you there Buster and you know I will.”
A short burst of hollow laughter from the boy.
Enough breakfast, enough wash water coffee,
Enough banter to last a day in the park across
The street till its time for chili and three day old
Cornbread like Buster told you so,
“Its not getting better.”