He Never Shook My Hand - Prologue

Allow me to share with you a different view of the world, A view which was new to me only a year ago, I was given the sight by an old school friend, A man I hadn’t seen since we were both boys. He appeared to be at least ten years my senior, Despite the fact we were in the same class, His clothes were crumpled and loose, And his sunglasses did not leave his face. We briefly met one wild autumn evening, He never shook my hand, But gave an exhausted smile, And joined me for a drink. He seemed to speak for endless hours, Tales about his recent past, Tales unbelievable, About the things he’d come to see. And then he simply walked out the door, Barely an hour had passed, But somewhere in that meeting, He passed his skill to me.