Minutes Like Hours

You walk into the store And stride down the aisle. You pick me up and Try to look casual while You carry me down To the checkout line. Pull out your wallet, You soon will be mine. Your friends are observing Every move that you make. The clerk asks for ID – You give him a fake. You quickly walk down To the front of the store. You hop in the car And drive away from the shop. Then you shut off the ignition, And pop off my top. You take a few drinks And pass me around. That’s when you decide To take a drive around town. You turn on your car And put your foot on the clutch. I’m sober, you think, I didn’t have very much. You pull onto the road With me by your side, Taking occasional sips As you enjoy the ride. Then the brakes on the car In front of you squeal. You try hard to stop, But you lose control of the wheel. You skid off the road, And you know you have crashed. The dashboard is shattered, The windshield is smashed. Minutes like hours, You’re in treacherous pain, That washes your senses, Envelops your brain. The screams all around you Are faint to your ears, As life flashed before you, Your hopes and your fears. Minutes like hours, You plead and you pray, I’ll never touch it again, Just let me live one more day. Your mine starts to go dark, It falls apart piece by piece. And then you slip into blackness, The pain has finally ceased. Before you entered that store, You should have thought twice, For I am the substance That cost you your life.