Much to my chagrin,
This guy named Ben
Talked to that waitress again.
“Ben,” I said to myself, “it’s been a long time since then.
It ain’t that I got no complaints,
In fact, it’s been good now and then,
But try lettin’ things go—
Some people don’t always get the best, you know.
Ben, it’s been a long time since then.”
She headed to my table anyway,
Walkin’ like she owned the whole damn show,
Warming up coffee and customers as she’d go.
“Hi, again,” she said, looking down on me.
“It’s been a while, Ben, I just can’t remember when.”
“Yeah,” I said. “it’s been a long time since then.”
“How’s the coffee and eggs for ya?”
“The coffee’s hot and black, and the eggs are fine.
But the days are quiet and nights not the same;
I guess I only have myself to blame.
Oh, and I promise to tip this time.
It has been a long time since then.”
She reached to pour a little more,
But I set my hand over the cup.
“My shift is startin up again, ya know.”
I set a few dollars down and stood to go.
“Forget the tip this time,” she said.
“And, Ben… it’s been too long since then.”
Much to my chagrin,
I talked to her again.
Ben, it’s been a long time since then,
It’s been too long since then.
Ó John D. Hughes June 2018
Morning of June 20, 2018, dream, Tom T. Hall singing the first three lines, somber tone.
