Twenty two years had passed by
She blinked, and a lifetime had passed
She started this job as a lark
She never thought it would last
Two husbands and rehab were part of this bar
The husbands...her clients all knew
But the rehab, was hers...and hers all alone
Only one in her family knew
She'd been tending bar here for 3 presidents plus
Two popes, two husbands....one queen
There were things in this bar that were secreted away
There were things just not meant to be seen
Say, 4 fights a week for 22 years
That's four thousand six hundred fights
That's more violent acts than one person should see
That's a lot of just mind numbing sights
As a tender of bar, she was part doctor as well
Serving drinks, and giving advice
She was hit on as well, and most she turned down
But some, they succeeded....some twice
They would come with their problems
spill their guts to this girl
Who they'd probably just met that night
They would tell her their problems and drink a few ales
When they left, they would be feeling all right
But, Mary...poor Mary would harbour their pain
She'd help them, but could not let things go
They'd cheer up with her talking and 1 or 2 beers
But she hurt, and would leave feeling low
There was always a someone on the tales other end
Who was home, maybe beaten or mad
But, Mary....she talked to the one who'd come out
And she always left feeling quite sad
The stories they told her, she never asked them to tell
But they came and they opened on up
And she as their hostess just listened and served
Whle they sat there, getting full in their cups
She married two men that she met in the bar
Both left wives, and poor Mary was blind
They both charmed this girl, till she was way too far gone
And she learned that love..yes, was blind
She had a young niece, that her sister had left
She was going to school here in town
If there was one person alive who could bring Mary up
Her niece Amber was the proverbial clown
After marrying twice and divorcing just once
Mary vowed not to do it again
But, she was hit on each night
in this bar Down the lane,
by a considerable number of men
Her first husband...a lout, for better want of a term
Was a drunkard, and jealous most days
But she fell for him hard, for his sad tale of woe
And her marriage lasted 91 days
He would come in each night after finishing work
And would berate her for flirting for tips
After leaving the bar, he would beat her at home
Hitting low, just above Mary's hips
Her boss saw her marks whens she was filling the fridge
He kept quiet, but he told her to call
A friend that he had, who would help Mary out
He knew her marks were not from a fall
Before Mary phoned she had incredible news
Her husband had been in a crash
Her problems were over and her bruises would heal
And it all happened ...poof...in a flash
During this time her sister ran off
Leaving Amber for Mary to raise
Though she hated her sister for leaving
Dear Amber she loved, and she helped Mary get through the days
But eight years along, with no outlet in sight
Hearing tales and of other folks pain
Mary reached out and she found comfort in
A needle and a rock of *******
for three years she spiked, shooting up every day
spending money she stole from the till
And during this time, she got married again
He seduced her when she had no self will
He knew of her problem and joined in all the same
Just a leech come along for the ride
He would help keep her secret, never telling her boss
Never letting them know she was fried.
Poor Amber found out, she walked in one June day
there was Mary with her coke and her spoon
When she looked at young Amber, she knew she must quit
And she knew that she must do it soon
Pure heartbreak she saw in that little girls eyes
She could see how she thought she would lose
Her Aunt like her mother, gone from her life
Mary knew she would now have to choose
Rehab was chosen, and her husband he left
He found out that this train had now stopped
his free ride was over, his meal ticket gone
You could say that his bubble had popped
Two years clean celebrated, at the bar with the kid
Mary got some good news from her boss
He was retiring to Texas and was selling the bar
And he would sell it to her at a loss
She was now the proud owner of a bar all her own
Three doors down from Giannis on Hope
She would run it precisely, the way she'd been taught
She would run the bar clean, free from dope
She would meet some great people,
Some nights in for a drink
And others that she wished would just leave
She would listen to stories, some good some not quite so much
And others just to hard to believe
She would make friends with some people And others she'd ban,
making sure that they left with a start
She'd befriend Harry Cooper, the World War two vet
Who would imprint his soul on her heart
And Amber...yes Amber would come down to spend time
She was fine and was going to school
She was a classical ****** in the dark of her room
And I tell you this girl was just cool
Mary brought Amber up with morals and faith
She would come when her Aunt made the call
She would rather hang out at the bar every night
Than to go with her friends to the mall
Mary made peace with the demons she had
She could leave the folks tales and go home
But, now she had Amber and a reason to live
And she would not have to do it alone
the bar's past Giannias, three doors down to the right
It's not large but she makes it make do
There's some music out back from a bluesman as well
Come on down and be one of the few
Be a regular there, join up with the crowd
It's not big but the beer's always cold
You don't have to stay long, but you'll come back again
For it's special....or so I've been told
Tell Mary I sent you, you'll get a free drink
And a free ear to hear of your tale
But, leave your ciggies outside for you can't smoke in here
You can do it outside by the pail.