Gone

The music has all dropped away and silence fills the air
That hovers in the corner at the bottom of the stair.
The barkeep pours just one more drink and smiles a knowing smile,
And eyes the lady sitting there, alone for quite a while.

A forlorn coat hangs limply on a now deserted stool,
Left there by the dark-haired one, who thinks she’s no one’s fool.
She’s wrapped up with the stranger there, the one who just dropped in.
Some sweet talk for the lady, then he filled her up with gin.

“So tell me,” says the barkeep as he pours yet one more drink,
And gestures toward the couple, “go on, tell me what you think.”
She sighs and checks the action from the corner of her eye,
“He won’t be disappointed, she’s the best ten bucks can buy.”

They giggle there together in the slightly smoky air,
The barkeep and the lady with the slightly graying hair.
A quiet sip, a far-off look, he hears a quiet plea.
“Not too many years ago, that lady could be me.”

Another glass of Chardonnay, another night alone,
By herself at this old bar, her time has surely flown.
The barkeep knows her ev’ry thought, he’s heard it all before.
Tonight just might be diff’rent though, they hear the slamming door.

She’s siting backward to the stairs, and knows not that he’s there.
He pauses now and gazes down and sees she’s not aware.
A deep breath drawn through trembling lips, he knows he’s just a John.
A suddenly wisp of outside air, the gentleman is gone.