For 35 years

he would

man his little

starters golf shop

and each time

my sons and I

would dread

seeing him

there.


but we golfed

and he complained

about life

his wife

his dog

his general lot

in life.


and he

took no responsibility

with any

of it,


He woke up

that morning

and said

to his wife

that Tom Petty

had died,

and how

sad he was

but the

salvation of

the matter was

that that is

exactly how

he wanted to

die someday.

quick.


it was odd for

him to wake up

at 7:30 that morning,

his wife said

he would always

wake at 8:30.


but she figured it

was nice to

have him up

an hour earlier

so they could talk

and piddle around

the house.


the day

was last

Thursday, Oct. 4th

the day Tom Petty

died.


and two hours

later at 10:30

in the morning

that grumpy

old man Lester

died  too.


and it

was quick

like a rattlesnake

just jumped

up and

bite him

in the heart.


He died

grumpy,


but in some way

all of us

are somehow

the lesser

for it.


but I also

know inside

that God

won't handle

him much

better ..


my bet is

God sends

that grumpy

old man back,