Meat and Potatoes

I got tired of losing So much goddamn losing Losing friends homes Hobbies Moving to new towns and cities Familiar faces of people I never met Those who lived for years in the same place They had their cliques They got each other’s jokes They knew what was on the next page Mr. Jones down at the corner store knew them all by name The bus driver gave them knowing nods Big brash Bobby who was once cute little Bobby “I don’t want no trouble today Bobby!” Then they’d fist pump. I was the invisible kid, sitting next to the window, listening to the sound of laughter I prayed “Please let this year be different.” For a while I was the new kid They were friendly and curious Like a new flavour of Ice Cream, I was okay for a treat. But they preferred the familiar chocolate and vanilla, or better yet meat and potatoes. It was okay though, I’d be gone by next year. They’d soon forget I’d ever been there. I was the loser who couldn’t go over to Jimmy’s house to play Ya that weirdo loser who couldn’t play baseball after school The loser who had to go straight home After a while I wanted to move I wanted another fresh start I was tired of losing So much goddamn losing Maybe the next town or the next city would be different Maybe if I tried really hard I could be chocolate or vanilla Or even better, I could be meat and potatoes.