By: T.H.
************************************************************************
Broadway is dark tonight.
A little bit weaker than you used to be.
Broadway is dark tonight.
See the young man sitting in the old man's bar,
Waiting for his turn to die.
Cowboy kills the rockstar,
And Friday night's gone too far.
The dim light hides the years,
On all the faded girls.
************************************************************************
He sat alone at the old bar. Well, almost alone. On either side of him were others like him, waiting impatiently for the things of the world to fade away with the rush of alcohol and sweet, groggy forgetfulness that flowed with it. There was only one difference between himself and the others around him. He was the only one who was young. There were no lines crisscrossing his face, no age spots tainting the pale whiteness of his skin. His brown eyes were still alert, the alcohol hadn't taken it's effect yet. They looked back and forth at the people surrounding him. He eyed them as they laughed hysterically, the demon in the liquor standing at their shoulder. He sighed and turned back to the counter as he waited for his drink, pondering the events of the day and also the week.
He had thrown away yet another friendship. He was envious it was true. Terribly envious. What was he? A lowly business man with barely any paycheck, while his friend lived it up with his rock star life. He didn't think it was very fair. He was smarter than him anyway. He could be a rock star if he wanted. But HE didn't care. True he had stuck up for him more than once and had been more than generous, but it didn't matter now. Whatever they had or had ever had was over.
He eyed the girl behind the counter. She was young and fair of face, her brown eyes flashing whenever a lewd comment was thrown in her direction. She was very expressive. Whenever this situation arose, she would brush back her long blonde hair with her hand, lean closer to the person, eyeing them incriminatingly with her big brown eyes. She didn't speak, but she may as well have screamed in their face, for it performed the same effect. They usually slunk away from her gaze and crept to another corner of the bar. He smiled as he watched her clean up a spill, the honey colored drink flowing down the counter as her rag attempted to soak it all up. He lifted his elbows slightly as the small river flowed towards his elbows. She quickly rushed over to soak it up, but she was too late. Her eyes widened as she saw the chances of the drink getting all over his business suit broaden and she rushed faster. He saw her coming, saw the drink flowing closer and closer and he smiled, gently lifting his elbows to let the river pass. He looked up as the girl breathed as sigh of relief.
"I'm so sorry about that! I didn't do it on purpose! Honest!" She said quickly, sopping up the beer. He smiled at her and laughed. "Don't worry about it. I saw it coming a mile away!" He said. The girl cracked a brief smile before bending over to throw the rag in the waste bin. As she stood up, the bright lights hit her square in the face and it was only then that he noticed the wrinkles around her seemingly young face. He drew in his breath, then spoke gently. "What's your name?" He asked. She eyed him suspiciously then shrugged her shoulders. "Mimi." She said simply. He smiled. "Mimi huh? So why are you here?"
"The only way to get some money. I mean, my Mom left my Dad so after I finished college, I went to live with him. The only way I can support the both of us is working here day and night." She said, rolling her eyes. "It really would have made things alot easier if Mom had just toughed it out and stayed." She muttered. "Why don't you get a job? You have a degree don't you?" He asked. The girl blushed bright red. "Well, not really." She murmured. He stared at her in amazement. "Look, I cheated on one too many tests. I didn't finish college." She explained suddenly. He looked down at his drink. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to bring it up." He said quietly.
Mimi's face softened. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. It's not your fault. It's kinda funny you know." He looked up at her. "What's funny?" She shrugged. "The way things have all turned out. I mean, I don't know where half of my friends are. I know a few. One of my friends Matt is a rockstar, his little brother is his agent. That is so funny!" Mimi burst out laughing, while he stared at her. "Izzy is making bazillions in a computer firm, Joe is a pharmacist. Kari, I don't know what happened to her. Last thing I heard, she dropped out of college and is doing an evening dancing gig in Vegas. So unlike her, but breaking up with T.K. kinda screwed her mind. And Sora, last I heard she was married and then she left the marriage. And Tai, well God knows where Tai is. I wish I knew." She said mournfully. The man stared into nothingness as her words echoed in his ears. "Yeah, me too." He whispered under his breath.
************************************************************************Forgotten but not gone. You drink it off your mind.
You talk about the world,
Like it's someplace that you've been.
You choke down all your anger.
Forget your only son.
You pray to statues when you sober up for fun.
Your anger don't impress me.
The world slapped in your face.
It always rains like hell on the losers day parade.
************************************************************************
He merely sipped at his drink, unwilling to surrender to his demons just yet. He had to think first. Think about why he was here. What he was doing. He shook his head. It was bad enough to think like that because sooner or later, his mind always turned back to Sora. "Beautiful, beautiful Sora." He muttered as he suddenly took a large drink, ignoring the harsh burning in his throat. It was she who had left him, but he felt partially responsible for it. True, she was the one who had been unfaithful to him, but he had egged her on, torutured her till there was nothing left. He had wanted to make her pay for the pain she had caused. Make her pay for her insecurites and hurts that she thought another could heal. But she had done what she had said she would do, she had left him, him and his son.
He shook his head, shaking away the dizzyness that threatened his logical thinking as his son's face came into his mind. His son, Tyler, brown hair, brown eyes, no trace of Sora anywhere in his features, save for the red tint buried deep within his brown tresses. He had his father's will and his father's mind. Sora had somewhat resented that. Had felt neglected when he spent so much time with his son. He had screamed at her that night, "What's so bad about spending time with my son?" To which she had replied, "It's bad when you don't even acknowledge your wife at all when she walks in the door!" She screamed. "How can I acknowledge you when I know where you've been all day? Who you've been with?" He had screamed. She had swore at him and ran to their room, locking the door behind her. He put his face in his hands.
How could he have been so blind? How could he have not seen it until now? His wife and his best friend. It had started so long ago, when he had lost his job. The firm had shut down, he had been without money. They had been forced to relocate to a smaller, but suitable house and a smaller budget till he found a new job. But even after he got a new job, Sora didn't like the fact that he wouldn't move back to their old life. She wanted more than he could give. He had tried as patiently as possible to tell her that he didn't have the resources to go back to their old life. She, the only woman he could ever love, had sneered, "Well maybe if you would actually use your talents like Matt does we wouldn't be in this predicament." And so she had gone to him. Gone to him for comfort. And when she had left, what had she said? "I hope you're glad that you and Tyler get more time together. I'll see him on weekends." And she was gone. Gone without a trace.
His son was all he had left. His son, Sora, Matt, rockstar, lost job. The thoughts swirled around his head in a kaleidescope of color and pain as the demon slowly put his hand on his shoulder, dragging him into his pit. But he wouldn't let him take him. He still had to think, still had to wonder of what to do. What could he do? Make a better life for his son? Yes, he would do that, but with what? He had no money. What would he do? Could he try and convince Sora to come back to him? What could he do? The devil was more insistant now, grasping his shoulder, urging him to go, to leave the world and it's troubles. He shook his head. He still had to think.
God, I need some help. Help me! His mind screamed in pain.
But the devil shook his head and clamped down harder.
Nobody can help you now. Come with me, just for a time, just for a time.
"I won't think about this now. I'll think about it later." He murmered as he took a large swill of the drink. The demon smiled in satisfaction. He was just another one of the crowd, mindless, painless, waiting for nothing.
************************************************************************
Broadway is dark tonight.
A little bit weaker than you used to be.
Broadway is dark tonight.
See the young man sitting in the old man's bar,
Waiting for his turn to die.
************************************************************************
************************************************************************
Broadway is dark tonight.
A little bit weaker than you used to be.
Broadway is dark tonight.
See the young man sitting in the old man's bar,
Waiting for his turn to die.
Cowboy kills the rockstar,
And Friday night's gone too far.
The dim light hides the years,
On all the faded girls.
************************************************************************
He sat alone at the old bar. Well, almost alone. On either side of him were others like him, waiting impatiently for the things of the world to fade away with the rush of alcohol and sweet, groggy forgetfulness that flowed with it. There was only one difference between himself and the others around him. He was the only one who was young. There were no lines crisscrossing his face, no age spots tainting the pale whiteness of his skin. His brown eyes were still alert, the alcohol hadn't taken it's effect yet. They looked back and forth at the people surrounding him. He eyed them as they laughed hysterically, the demon in the liquor standing at their shoulder. He sighed and turned back to the counter as he waited for his drink, pondering the events of the day and also the week.
He had thrown away yet another friendship. He was envious it was true. Terribly envious. What was he? A lowly business man with barely any paycheck, while his friend lived it up with his rock star life. He didn't think it was very fair. He was smarter than him anyway. He could be a rock star if he wanted. But HE didn't care. True he had stuck up for him more than once and had been more than generous, but it didn't matter now. Whatever they had or had ever had was over.
He eyed the girl behind the counter. She was young and fair of face, her brown eyes flashing whenever a lewd comment was thrown in her direction. She was very expressive. Whenever this situation arose, she would brush back her long blonde hair with her hand, lean closer to the person, eyeing them incriminatingly with her big brown eyes. She didn't speak, but she may as well have screamed in their face, for it performed the same effect. They usually slunk away from her gaze and crept to another corner of the bar. He smiled as he watched her clean up a spill, the honey colored drink flowing down the counter as her rag attempted to soak it all up. He lifted his elbows slightly as the small river flowed towards his elbows. She quickly rushed over to soak it up, but she was too late. Her eyes widened as she saw the chances of the drink getting all over his business suit broaden and she rushed faster. He saw her coming, saw the drink flowing closer and closer and he smiled, gently lifting his elbows to let the river pass. He looked up as the girl breathed as sigh of relief.
"I'm so sorry about that! I didn't do it on purpose! Honest!" She said quickly, sopping up the beer. He smiled at her and laughed. "Don't worry about it. I saw it coming a mile away!" He said. The girl cracked a brief smile before bending over to throw the rag in the waste bin. As she stood up, the bright lights hit her square in the face and it was only then that he noticed the wrinkles around her seemingly young face. He drew in his breath, then spoke gently. "What's your name?" He asked. She eyed him suspiciously then shrugged her shoulders. "Mimi." She said simply. He smiled. "Mimi huh? So why are you here?"
"The only way to get some money. I mean, my Mom left my Dad so after I finished college, I went to live with him. The only way I can support the both of us is working here day and night." She said, rolling her eyes. "It really would have made things alot easier if Mom had just toughed it out and stayed." She muttered. "Why don't you get a job? You have a degree don't you?" He asked. The girl blushed bright red. "Well, not really." She murmured. He stared at her in amazement. "Look, I cheated on one too many tests. I didn't finish college." She explained suddenly. He looked down at his drink. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to bring it up." He said quietly.
Mimi's face softened. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. It's not your fault. It's kinda funny you know." He looked up at her. "What's funny?" She shrugged. "The way things have all turned out. I mean, I don't know where half of my friends are. I know a few. One of my friends Matt is a rockstar, his little brother is his agent. That is so funny!" Mimi burst out laughing, while he stared at her. "Izzy is making bazillions in a computer firm, Joe is a pharmacist. Kari, I don't know what happened to her. Last thing I heard, she dropped out of college and is doing an evening dancing gig in Vegas. So unlike her, but breaking up with T.K. kinda screwed her mind. And Sora, last I heard she was married and then she left the marriage. And Tai, well God knows where Tai is. I wish I knew." She said mournfully. The man stared into nothingness as her words echoed in his ears. "Yeah, me too." He whispered under his breath.
************************************************************************Forgotten but not gone. You drink it off your mind.
You talk about the world,
Like it's someplace that you've been.
You choke down all your anger.
Forget your only son.
You pray to statues when you sober up for fun.
Your anger don't impress me.
The world slapped in your face.
It always rains like hell on the losers day parade.
************************************************************************
He merely sipped at his drink, unwilling to surrender to his demons just yet. He had to think first. Think about why he was here. What he was doing. He shook his head. It was bad enough to think like that because sooner or later, his mind always turned back to Sora. "Beautiful, beautiful Sora." He muttered as he suddenly took a large drink, ignoring the harsh burning in his throat. It was she who had left him, but he felt partially responsible for it. True, she was the one who had been unfaithful to him, but he had egged her on, torutured her till there was nothing left. He had wanted to make her pay for the pain she had caused. Make her pay for her insecurites and hurts that she thought another could heal. But she had done what she had said she would do, she had left him, him and his son.
He shook his head, shaking away the dizzyness that threatened his logical thinking as his son's face came into his mind. His son, Tyler, brown hair, brown eyes, no trace of Sora anywhere in his features, save for the red tint buried deep within his brown tresses. He had his father's will and his father's mind. Sora had somewhat resented that. Had felt neglected when he spent so much time with his son. He had screamed at her that night, "What's so bad about spending time with my son?" To which she had replied, "It's bad when you don't even acknowledge your wife at all when she walks in the door!" She screamed. "How can I acknowledge you when I know where you've been all day? Who you've been with?" He had screamed. She had swore at him and ran to their room, locking the door behind her. He put his face in his hands.
How could he have been so blind? How could he have not seen it until now? His wife and his best friend. It had started so long ago, when he had lost his job. The firm had shut down, he had been without money. They had been forced to relocate to a smaller, but suitable house and a smaller budget till he found a new job. But even after he got a new job, Sora didn't like the fact that he wouldn't move back to their old life. She wanted more than he could give. He had tried as patiently as possible to tell her that he didn't have the resources to go back to their old life. She, the only woman he could ever love, had sneered, "Well maybe if you would actually use your talents like Matt does we wouldn't be in this predicament." And so she had gone to him. Gone to him for comfort. And when she had left, what had she said? "I hope you're glad that you and Tyler get more time together. I'll see him on weekends." And she was gone. Gone without a trace.
His son was all he had left. His son, Sora, Matt, rockstar, lost job. The thoughts swirled around his head in a kaleidescope of color and pain as the demon slowly put his hand on his shoulder, dragging him into his pit. But he wouldn't let him take him. He still had to think, still had to wonder of what to do. What could he do? Make a better life for his son? Yes, he would do that, but with what? He had no money. What would he do? Could he try and convince Sora to come back to him? What could he do? The devil was more insistant now, grasping his shoulder, urging him to go, to leave the world and it's troubles. He shook his head. He still had to think.
God, I need some help. Help me! His mind screamed in pain.
But the devil shook his head and clamped down harder.
Nobody can help you now. Come with me, just for a time, just for a time.
"I won't think about this now. I'll think about it later." He murmered as he took a large swill of the drink. The demon smiled in satisfaction. He was just another one of the crowd, mindless, painless, waiting for nothing.
************************************************************************
Broadway is dark tonight.
A little bit weaker than you used to be.
Broadway is dark tonight.
See the young man sitting in the old man's bar,
Waiting for his turn to die.
************************************************************************