In memory of Jeff Scofield
    RIP 1958 - 2006


if you’re lookin’ to party
there’s only one place ta go
Vic and Murray’s at Checkers Court
where you can hoot and holler
as much as ya like
jus’ don’t get sick on the hardwood floors

Jeff and Janet, Lill’, Ron and Christine
Hank and Bob, Dave, Chris and Cindy
sittin’ at the picnic table with beer in hand
'good people' miles around droppin’ by
cause what’s available at Checkers Court
is very much in demand

a great neighbourhood
if you’re lookin’ to waste a little time
escape the creditors for a while
warp back to the carefree days of adolescence
not that long ago
a row housed state of mind on a dead end street
Heavy Metal’s children racing towards thirty
raisin’ their own kids

barbecued steak on cardboard plates
three foot Monitor lizard
guardin’ the upstairs hallway
most nights you can hear us
crankin’ out the tunes
callin’ in sick tomorrows
our noses covered in the year roun’ snow
yeah Checkers Court is full of criminals
who never break the law

Hank from Finland lookin’ biker scary
turns out to be harmless
power nappin’
balancing a cigarette and vodka in one hand
Vic an’ his X-acto knife an’ scales
permanent smile takin’ it all in
cousin Murray clean and sober
happy jus’ ridin’ his Kawi’
“catch ya later man
bring me back a Pepsi”

torn screen store front of the candy dealer
closed drape showcase for the baby faced petty thief
best not to ask questions
just accept that it is
yeah there’s happiness and despair here
like any other place
someday we’ll look back
and wish it was still there
but for now we could choose to do better
if only we knew how
at Checkers Court

© 1989

1,720 hits as of April 2024

05/29/2011

Author's Note: The actual timeline for this poem is 1986-1987.

Posted on 05/29/2011
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti