Storyteller’s Peace

 

Storyteller’s Peace 

you were king 

of the Zoo Crew - 

the wildest of the 

nicknamed,

t-shirt-sporting 

high school 

Animal House gang

of the 1980s 

every teacher dreaded

you were class clown 

you drive me to school 

once in your 2-door

running Eddie Palmer on foot 

up against a chain-link fence 

further taunting 

an already troubled kid 

who held up a bank 

through bullet proof glass 

a few years later 

you were a bully 

you said you’d gone 

in the store at the circle

for a pack of cigarettes 

and left your car running 

but heard the click 

of the pistol 

against your head 

the minute your 

barefoot butt

hit the seat 

to drive away - 

your abductor 

behind you -

and everyone tried 

to believe you 

but no one ever could 

you were a storyteller 

so many holes 

in your tales 

but the marriage 

was a cruel front -

a good friendship 

that went past a first kiss 

and trapped you 

in a world of walls 

you couldn’t escape 

you never came out 

            but we always knew 

in the end

     a storyteller

         finds peace