The Man Out In the Gutter

The great God Almighty showed a man in a dream one night that he'd die out in the gutter if he didn't change his plight, with ants crawling in his mouth and flies sucking up his blood. Just one more drink would do it--Satan gave the final shove. Death is often welcomed in this world as a quick escape, because everything about life is not easy for men to take. Life's a treasure when you're younger. Life's a problem when you're old. Life's a burden to endure when you're tired and in the cold. Sometimes when men are sober, they do an honest task just to earn enough money to buy more booze for their flask. They've been from rags to riches so many times before that everyone thinks the worst of them when they stumble through the door. A man who loves himself would never lead that kind of life. A man who respects himself needs a family and a wife. But the alcohol still calls some to the gutter every night. They'd rather hug a trash can than wed a girl that's right. What he is, is still important. What he says, is never done. He's a man who's lost the meaning of what to do for fun. And he'll die out in the gutter with no one to be his friend for the gin within his bottle has more meaning than life to him. Janet Marie Bingham