Expecting

You can’t go through here

I’m not going

To let you

Go out the back

To catch the guy

Out back is dark territory

In here you’re neutral

The way you came in

Is for snitches

That’s the snitch door

So don’t tell me

You’re not a switch

You wanna bust asses

In Toledo

That’s your business

But you’re not using my bar

As a Grand Central

To wherever you need to get

People have to have

Someplace they can go

Without worrying

That they need to keep

An eye on the side door

Even kids who play tag

Get a frozen spot

That’s what the problem

Is with being an adult

Around here

You feel like

No matter where you go

Somebody’s a minute away

From slapping cuffs on you

Why don’t you have a drink?

Nobody’s going to tell on you

If you have a drink

And I have the girl in the kitchen

Make you some chicken fingers

What a nice thing

That you can go home tonight

And go to bed

And start over again tomorrow

That guy you chased in here?

He’s going to be

Running all night

You want to spend all night

Running after him?

It’s the middle of the week

That shit’s fun

On a weekend

Or on a Monday

When you still have the energy for it

But who the hell wants to do it

Mid-way through?

You think he’s going to go

Running to the airport

And hop a plane to Columbia?

He’ll be staying

In the same two blocks

Until somebody

Puts a bullet in him

Or he gets himself

Tossed in jail

So why worry about it?

He’s a good runner

He’ll keep you running

But he’s shit at hiding

And he doesn’t have

A good instinct

In his fuckin’ head

So don’t break a sweat over it

Eat some chicken fingers

And have a couple drinks

And I’ll even let you

Pick a few songs

Off the jukebox on me

How many chances

Do you think you get in life

To enjoy yourself?

It’s a nice thing

When somebody tells you

To sit down

And slow down

And shhhh

They won’t tell on you

You didn’t see me

Come through the snitch door

Did you?

You think I’m going

To call your boss

And tell him

You stopped running?

That’s not my business

I’m just trying

To enjoy my beer

And dole out

Some useful advice

To a guy who looks like

He’s already tired

Of grabbing at things

He can’t hold onto

That’s all

I’m trying to do

Trying to keep everybody

Neutral

The world could use

A few more people

Standing still