jake the snake

I was thinking about old jake
the other day.

he passed away on Christmas day.
lung cancer.

he was basically a pirate who went through
a time portal

and ended up here.

a grizzled beard, a pony tail,

and a new set of teeth.

a great worker when hungry and sober.
funny.

and a chain smoker and heavy drinker.
he was in and out of jail.

shelters, tents under the  bridge,
but
he rolled with the punches.

always landing on his feet somehow.

sure, he'd fall asleep

on the roof of a house,

or hide

behind some bushes when hungover.

but he  worked hard when he had to.
when I ride

by the 7-11 where I used to pick him up
I look
over and half expect to see him,

cigarette in his mouth, a big gulp
in his hand,

his paint splattered work clothes on,
and smiling ear
to ear.

whistling at any woman who walked by.

jake was the man.