The blues.
Everybody gets them.
I had them.
I was walking.
Alone.
No telling how long or how far.
In the city one nasty block looks like any other.
All of the faces look the same
No sizes
No shapes.
No colors.
Blank.
Soulless.
In the distance in front of me I heard a woman’s voice.
As I got closer I could make out her words.
“Baby, please don’t go. Please stay. Please!”
She was crying her eyes out and moaning with each breath.
A man stood looking at her.
He turned and walked away.
She was screaming “NO! NO! NO!”
He paused.
She fell onto her knees, begging, as the man kept walking.
“Baby! Please stop. I’m sorry for the things I did.”
The man kept walking.
“Baby! Please. Everybody makes mistakes. I’m not the only one.”
She tried to stand and fell against the wall.
She was barefoot.
Her breasts were flopping around her unbuttoned dress.
No. Not a dress, a bath robe.
She looked up at the clear night sky and called out.
“Lord! Please help me!”
Nobody cared.
No one stopped.
Everybody just kept walking.
I looked at her, as I got closer.
I could clearly see the tears in her eyes.
And the tracks running down her face.
I knew how she felt.
I could do nothing to help her.
I turned the corner and walked away.
Behind me she could be heard calling out to the man.
“Please don’t leave me. Please. I’ve got nothing left.”
I thought, “Nothing but the blues”.
Like me.
I guess I’ll go home.
And try to forgive and forget.