#64 HERE IT COMES
#64 HERE IT COMES
(Americana)
He showed up one day, summer I was ten,
Corner table of our diner.
Made mom giggle and made Dad smile,
Kept drinking coffee -- "Never had finer!"
He stayed, we all ate burgers way past close,
Hired him to help -- three days, then they'd see.
Mom asked "What's your name? You never said."
He just smiled. "Mr. Helper works for me."
"Here it comes!" Mom would say,
Pen in her hair, busy Monday.
Old man asks "You married? You look fun!"
Smiles, rolls her eyes "Here it comes!"
He was with us for two great months,
Scrubbed the grill, showed me his loaded dice.
One day he said he had to go. Made me sad.
He'd listen when I talked. That was nice.
Then a pallet slipped, Dad broke his foot
I see Mom talking to Helper "Please stay."
Looked worried, then at his cracked screen, then nods,
Said "Until things settle, just a few days."
"Here it comes!" Dad would say,
Smoking out back, busy day.
Mom glaring at him, no mood for fun.
He'd wink at me, "Here it comes!"
Dad's foot got worse, so Helper stayed,
But on our breaks, he no longer played.
Got a long message one day, bit his lip hard,
Said "Dan keep an eye out, stay on guard."
Bunch of nothing until one day, late July
Door quietly opens and in walks some guy.
Smiled at Helper, said "This time you can't run."
Then he sat down and I saw the gun.
“What can I get you?” I hear Mom say
Big man just looks, flat eyes, says “Not today.”
Mom steps back, crosses her arms,
No smile, no “Here it comes!”
Black cars outside, more men file in,
Way they stood, I could tell they had guns
Then a small old man walks in alone,
Helper sighs, says "Here it comes."
Takes off his sunglasses, looks around
Sees me and Mom, frowns, says "Really want me to?"
Then looks right at Helper, nobody moves.
Helper smiles at me, says to the man "I'm Coming with you."
"Here it comes!" I now say,
Diner door opens, late in the day
Hoping for laughter, ready for guns,
Whatever happens, "Here it comes!"
Twelve long years gone by, and nobody can say,
Exactly who died in that warehouse that day.
Hope he made it. He showed me the score:
I'm ready when here it comes through my door.