By Guy (Buddy) Tabor
Juneau, Alaska
from his Box of Pain CD

HOMELESS

Fred was a gentle man, he'd never harm a soul
He still could make me laugh in my world that had grown cold
I often think of him, he was my only friend
I never dreamed this was the way that it would finally end

We met at the mission shelter, wondered if things would ever change
At night we slept under the interstate bridge to shelter from the rain
It was three feet tall and you had to kneel on down to crawl back in
But you wouldn't wake up with a knife in your back from someone else's sins

In the day we'd walk the streets begging for spare change
We worked the ATM machine on the corner of Fifth and Main
These kids in fast cars would drive by and call us names
I'd just turn around, flip 'em off and Fred would do the same

For all have sinned and fallen down, short of God's great glory
I heard the mission preacher scream it, Amen and Holy, Holy
The heart is full of wickedness and drowns in its deceit
And you got to watch each step you take when you're out here on the street

Late one night we were heading back to the bridge to get some sleep
We were almost there when this car full of kids came racing down the street
They jumped out of their car with their baseball bats and pellet guns
I dropped my sleeping bag and yelled at Fred, We'd better run
I scrambled up the incline, knelt on down and crawled back in
But Fred had tripped and fallen down. This would be his very end

I heard his screams among their laughter as they broke both of his legs
What seemed like a time of eternity Fred lay on the ground dead
The cops threw Fred in the ambulance like he was just a piece of meat
I heard one laugh and tell another, that's one less bum on the street

The preacher at the mission was unfazed by the news
At the evening service, he never mentioned Fred.
My God, what can you do

The city paid and buried Fred deep in a pauper's grave
Those kids were never caught. They slipped the noose and got away
But me, I bought this gun and now I know what I must do
'Cause it don't matter anymore when your life is almost through

For all have sinned and fallen down, short of God's great glory
I heard the mission priest scream it, Amen and holy, holy
The heart is full of wickedness and drowns in its deceit
And you got to watch each step you take when you're out here on the street