Saw Fred in the box today at a mere 61
Gone before his time three strokes and done
The first time off his feet in four decades
A hard life on his feet, a family and kids to raise

His liquor store was a meeting place, mixing biz and friends
His constant presence and good nature made me always stop in
Twenty years I've known him, his only problem was his kids
His brother says they killed him, and I wonder if they did

He finally make some money and spared his kids the slog
He gave them free time and money, working like a dog
He wasn't around to see them spoiled, less than honest and soft
He was working through their youth and they got a little lost

He wanted them to see his example and work as hard as him
But lazy money looks at him like some ancient has been
They made fun of him while he bought their lives
They laughed at his complaints and pride.

Today they cried and and said goodbye, they didn't see this coming
The first time in four decades he wasn't keeping the biz up and running
The tears were furious, they were real but were they really for Fred?
Whose going to finance their lifestyles now that Fred's dead?


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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.