Stay In Bed

Two guys at the corner of Fifth and Grant,
were looking pretty far down on their luck.
Because their beat-up old station wagon,
just got T-boned by a Ford pickup truck.

The light was green for that station wagon,
but that truck just slammed right into their car.
After they all got out and walked about,
looked like that truck driver came from the bar.

That station wagon was a mangled mess,
one guy had some blood oozing from his head.
I said to myself, it could have been worse,
thank Heaven nobody’s bad hurt, or dead.

The cop showed up a few minutes later,
asked them what the heck was going on here.
The truck driver said, Billy Bob old friend,
those boys there smell like they was drinking beer.

The cop hemmed and hawed then cleared his throat,
he said you know it looks perfectly clear.
I see what you’re saying is true, Judge Brown,
these boys will be locked up for fifty years.

So, they hauled those guys to the county jail,
told them that they don’t need any phone call.
Cause if they want to get out of this mess,
the best thing was to confess to it all. 

The sheriff wrote it all out on paper,
said that it was going to be all right.
He told them, sign your name here on this line,
then you might be out by tomorrow night.

The next morning, they went to the courtroom,
their lawyer was the judge’s son-in-law.
Billy Bob showed the judge their confession,
the biggest case this county ever saw.

There was murder, rape, theft, and robbery,
with a whole lot of other crimes thrown in.
Every unsolved case the sheriff had faced,
was listed in the charges against them.

The judge slammed his gavel on the desktop,
said haul these boys off to the calaboose.
What say we go down and have a few rounds,
cause this one calls for a couple of brews.

Now ain’t that just the way life seems to go,
some days it don’t pay to get out of bed.
You’ll be cruising along, singing your song,
with the warm sun shining down on your head.

Then the day starts to turn cold and dreary,
though that is not what the weatherman said.
Some dirty bird flies by and drops his pie,
now your day has turned all nasty instead.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

Poem

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Greenhough Avatar
February 11, 2024 at 12:59 AM
A good story poem. There are crooked judges. There are lieing jurists, too. The title is correct.
Brotherton Avatar
February 12, 2024 at 6:04 PM
Thanks Hilda.
One Avatar
February 10, 2024 at 11:58 AM
Great storytelling Jerry.. Really enjoyed reading this interesting piece..
Brotherton Avatar
February 12, 2024 at 6:04 PM
Thank you Silent One.
M  Avatar
February 9, 2024 at 5:05 AM
Brother Jerry …you are a wonderful story teller and l so enjoy reading them….loved this!! Sister Debx
Brotherton Avatar
February 12, 2024 at 6:02 PM
Thanks Deb. Perhaps a little too Dukes of Hazzard maybe.
Rolland Avatar
February 9, 2024 at 12:58 AM
very interesting story, life is difficult for every one, thanks for the remarkable title, it says everything of the following, great poem,
Brotherton Avatar
February 12, 2024 at 6:01 PM
Of course, a total work of fiction.
Wolf Avatar
February 7, 2024 at 6:50 PM
Love the irony of the judge going off for a few rounds of the brewskis. Typical Americana, eh?
Brotherton Avatar
February 12, 2024 at 5:56 PM
Good ole boys all they way.
Baker Avatar
February 7, 2024 at 6:47 PM
There's something to say for staying in bed, after reading this here poem, it might even be better to just be dead. Or of course you could just trade that pickup for a good horse, you almost never see a horse in a car accident. Just saying. Have yourself a great stay in bed day. Billy, the horse trader. Come on by and see me. Fun read, Jerry, you tell and good tale, my friend. And you put it in poetic form to boot. Bill
Brotherton Avatar
February 12, 2024 at 5:56 PM
Fun fact, there were only two cars in Kansas City when they had the first two car accident. We should have learned something then... but no.
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