As a child I lived in poverty
Tall skinny and shy
Especially around girls
I fit in with the boys
Being athletic
My viewpoint, open to critique
And tough
When you are skinny and big
In my neighborhood
You had to be to survive
Finally I got the courage
Only one girl on earth for me,
"Would you go to the dance with me?"
"Dandy, you are the last boy on
earth I would ever go out with.
Your dad is the neighborhood drunk
You live in a house with boarded windows
The cops are always at your house
You don't even have a car just a coal truck
You will not amount to a thing!"
That was a crushing blow for me
I was not and would not be my father
I was in college before I had the courage
to ask any girl out on a date
I had girls who were friends
On occasion one might want to take it further
Just lived daily for sports
And yes sports got me to college
I did not go for higher learning
I was surprised to be one dorms candidate
For campus King and did not know how to dance
Met the love of my life in college
I heard the girl who would not dance with me
Was the one who was on the road to disrepair
Two successful children and five grandchildren
My view home envied by those below in
the trailer park she living with fourth husband
Her husband the spousal abuser and drunk
But I have never forgot that hurtful day
The drunk who said I was the last person she would date
And the hurtful words that drove me towards success