Living in a Ghost Town

I'm living in ghost town

Nobody else around

The days are long

Strolling down the dusty street

Staring in boarded up windows

Through broken panes of glass

At possessions left behind

That are covered in dirt and grime

-----

The wind blows dust

Across collapsing wooden floors.

Through the partially left open doors.

I spend the days waiting

Killing time

A trip up to the mill

To stare at rusted metal machines

-----

The sun bakes down on the dirt road
Horse hitching posts lay empty.

The troughs of water long since dried up.

I walk down the street

Stepping onto the creaky wooden sidewalk

And head for the saloon.

-----

"A little early today" I say to myself

As I walk behind the bar and pour myself a drink

Out of an old dusty whisky bottle that the label has fallen off

I walk over to one of the tables and take a seat.

I pull a deck of cards out of my pocket

And I begin to play Solitaire Sipping at the bottle of Whiskey

I stare at my wristwatch

And wait.

-----

The long afternoon meanders by.

As I wait for the darkness

The time is moving slowly today

I stagger over to the saloon door to stare outside

Still several hours til the night will arrive.

I decide to take a nap on the bench under the window.

----

I awake to the sound of a leather strap on wood.

The neighing of a horse.

I look outside the window and see nothing.

But I know they are here.

I hurriedly light all the lights

And then head behind the bar

Pull out several glasses.

The doors swing open

No one walks in

The Floor creaks under the pressures of boots

Three whiskeys are poured out of a dusty bottle

I place them on the bar

The sound of a coin hits wood

----

The saloon fills with noise

The busted piano begins to play

Cards are dealt

Drinks are poured.

I smile a smile of satisfaction

I stand behind the bar listening

To hushed conversations

Whispered rumors

Drunken arguments from a time long gone.

I live in a Ghost Town

BAC 06/26/2008