ANGEL

I never thought too much of Angel`s car
When I`d hear it rumblin`down Prospect Boulevard
It was a Ford Fairlane that had seen its best days
All rust and smoke and dents with unresponsive brakes
It had a top that leaked whenever it did rain
With mouldy magazines in a back seat full of stains
But Angel was my friend, and friends never ask any questions.

I never knew a lot of what Angel did
How he paid his bills or exactly where he lived
He`d just show up at my house with a case of Miller beer
And a stack of Blues CD`s that he wanted me to hear
There was a tattoo of a cobra and sword on his right arm
He told me one hot night that he got it in Viet Nam
Angel was my friend, and friends never ask any questions

Angel had a deep scar where his beard did grow
And just like me he was a scorpio
His hair was long and black, in a ponytail down his back
He wore a biker jacket that was ripped and lined with cracks
He had the saddest eyes that could look so far away
Like a hellhound chased his soul every night and day.
But Angel was my friend, and friends never ask any questions.

It was sometime in the fall, there was colour in the trees
I heard a knocking on my door and saw three state police
"Are you a friend of Angel`s ?" one said as he touched his gun
I said " of course I am, can you tell me exactly what he`s done ?"
He tried to rob a seven-eleven right at 4.A.M last night
The security camera caught him, squarly in its sight
Angel was my friend, and friends NEVER ANSWER any questions.

The fat cop said;"He dropped a toy gun on the floor
I guess he never expected there`d be a real one in the store"
The manager shot him twice, he must have hit that thug.
Angel left behind him his own dark trail of blood,
He took off in a Fairlane into the rain and wind
If you know where he is, better tell us, there`s an all points bulletin"
Angel was my friend, and friends never answer any questions

They found him in the forest, it appeared he bled to death.
In the front seat by the steering wheel with a note to me that read;
"I leave you all my possessions, including your favourite car
My medal of Honour from Viet Nam, my doctorate from Harvard Law
I never could get my life together after Saigon it seemed,
These last eighteen years all passed by like a dream
But you were always my friend and you never asked me any questions."

Tom Pacheco