Good Old Days

Jack told me they had threatened him with
a five point restraint
Those were the good old days
Straight-jackets
and beatings by cops
Hardly recognizable
when they were through
His arm
disabled
in one quick thrust
All he was guilty of
was to
sock one of them in the
eye
He told Denny to run
they didn't make it
far
In the morning
Ol' Denny dining on
bacon and eggs
asking the guard for more
coffee
as Jack lay cold, clothless on
the drunk tank
floor
They had hosed him
down
a couple of
times
That was before he
enwrapped himself
in toilet paper
"Take that off
now
or you'll be in a
straight-jacket
for the long weekend"
They filled Denny's cup
with warm brew
as Jack wiped the dried blood
from above his
eyes.