Firing Nick

And Ma's like
He's your brother
I'm goin', I know Ma
I know he's my brother
What do you want me to do about it?
He's lazy
I got six guys working for me
I gotta worry about Nick all the time?
It's one thing when this was just the sandwich shop
But we got a restaurant now
I can't be holding his hand all the time
Like he's a kid
He's twenty-four years old
For fuck's sake
Get a grip

She's all like, he's upset about Dad
I'm like, yeah Ma, we're all upset
Nobody's not upset about it
But we all gotta keep on, right?

She always wants me to throw myself in front of the train for him
Because he's the baby

First day of high school
I'm a senior
He's a freshman
Nick picks a fight with the biggest guy at school
Gets his nose broken
And Ma wants to know where was I?

Where was I?
Where were you?
What does it matter?

If I'd have been there
I'd have broken his nose anyway
For starting fights with people
Twice his size

Now Dad's gone and she's all worried
About who's going to take care of Nick

Nick, that's who
Nick's gotta take care of Nick
And you know what?
It wouldn't be so fucking hard
If Nick just didn't try getting himself killed all the time

Hanging out on Barney Street
Like he's a CEO

Then I have to get up in the middle of the night
And go get him
Because he told some guy to go fuck himself
And now the guy says he's coming back with a gun
And can I call Uncle Joe
And take care of this

I said, 'What the fuck are you on?
'Call Uncle Joe at 3am?  Uncle Joe's seventy-two years old.
This ain't 1991 anymore, Nick.
We're grown-ups now.
You call me
And if I can't help you
You're fucked
That's how it is'

But he's never fucked
Because he calls me
And I go pick him up
And I leave some money for the guy with the gun
So he doesn't come looking for my brother

And Ma thinks Nick's just showing up late to work
And getting drunk a little too much
She don't know
She don't know shit

And she doesn't know what Dad told me either

Before he died
We were sitting in the waiting room of the hospital
Routine stuff
Didn't know he was even being admitted
Until they ran some tests
But he felt bad
And I think he kinda knew
Something was up

He started talking about Nick
And I said, 'Don't worry, Pop, I'll take care of him'
And he shook his head and said--

'No, Mikey, no.'

He said--'You gotta let him go.  He'll take you down with him otherwise.  Just let him go.'

I don't tell Ma that
That Dad gave me permission
That he said it was okay

Because then that'll be it

I'll let Nick go
And she'll let him go too

So I keep my mouth shut
And I keep picking him up
And I keep writing checks
And I keep making excuses
And I keep wondering for how long

Not how long until I keep this up
Because the money's not going to run out anytime soon
And he's never going to stop being who he is, but...

But how long before I just don't want to do it anymore?

How long until I'm ready to say fuck it
 And be done?