summer of eighty-three
he had to go back home
back to chicago
I think he was taking the bus
maybe he hitchhiked
or maybe he had a ride
his name was Mike
he was one of the good guys
some things you just don’t forget
we lived in a hell hole
along with six or eight other guys
who did nothing but trash the place
on the morning of your departure
you passed on some tools to me
most still with me to this day
december two thousand twenty-three
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