Simon

SIMON

Freshly showered, and half asleep, but somehow ready to go,
The familiar faces from my regular commute, where they’re going, I’ll never know.

There were no stories, no family background, I really didn’t KNOW them one little bit;
We travelled together for years, we travelled together, that was it.

Every morning at 7 we’d meet,
On an early city bound train,
We’d even sit in the same seats, every day, always the same.

Until one day, it was my last,
My last commute on that line,
You see, I’d found a new job, in another direction, at another time.

I wondered if I should say something, just something small and nice,
To thank them, for their company, for their silent words of advice.

So I sat up and cleared my throat, wished my nerves would keep at bay,
Hello, my name is Simon, and I wish you all a good day.

You see I won’t be back tomorrow, or the next day, what a shame,
But I’ve been offered a new job, via another train, with a different name.

It’s a shame because I’ve really liked the comfort you provide,
The eye contact, the head tilt, or just being there for the ride...

To my surprise everyone listened, and even had a positive word to share,
They too would look out for me each day, just felt’ right’ when I was there.

I left the train that day, with a smile from ear to ear,
Would I experience this again? If I do, instead of silence, we’ll go for a beer.

Neighbours...

Neighbours
Everybody needs good neighbours…

Around 11pm it starts,
Not unlike before,
A neighbour’s late night party,
Not easy to ignore

We share a thin, weak apartment wall,
Not much separating them from me,
Who will come out the winner in this conundrum,
Keep on reading, you will see

No music, no heavy bass
But it keeps going till 4 or 5 am
Just when you think they’re quietening down,
They start back up again

Loud voices, slamming doors,
Shrills of hyena like, unbearable laughter,
Seems like this will go on for ever, and ever, and ever after

It's Saturday night!
It shouldn't be such a biggie,
It's the weekend after all,
But when it’s usually Sunday, Tuesday or Wednesday night,
I’ve had enough, I'm gonna have to make the call.

Call the police to put a stop,
Put a stop to their boisterous night
But somehow I can't pick up the phone,
Would I make it worse? Would I start a fight?

With 10 neighbours, against 1 me,
I'm outnumbered 10 to 1
Their 1 bedroom apartment flat,
Has never seen such uproarious fun.

An angry email is sent to my agent,
With the hope of turning the tide,
A request for them to be reminded,
To exercise caution when taking me for a ride

Gutless, weak, scared, you might say,
But I’m just warming myself up
For the coming of the altercation,
For the changing of the luck

I'll find the courage one day,
To confront them face to face,
To call them out on their discretion,
Put an end to this insidious case…

Then again, maybe I should let them be
Lose more sleep, become more grumpy,
Maybe this is now the norm for me, but I should be less like Humpty Dumpty

Pick myself up, dust myself off, be ready to fight another day,
Think positive, act positive, ready to find another way

Maybe I'm too old,
Too fuddy duddy,
Or even too washed up,
Maybe I need to get a life,
Get out and about,
Pick up that champagne cup

I’ll think, to hell with all the rest of them!
The neighbours who piss me off,
Karma will come back to them one day,
And on that day I will scoff

Things have been made right,
And the same is right with me,
No more apartment living,
I’ll be living in a proper house,
I’ll be free.