Carmody said <br />what did you get <br />your old man <br />for his birthday? <br /> <br />well <br />you said <br />my sister and I <br />saved up <br /> <br />what money we could <br />siphoned off <br />some of our pocket money <br />took back <br /> <br />the empty beer bottles <br />to the off licence <br />did extra chores <br />for our mother <br /> <br />and went bought him <br />some cigarettes <br />and gave them to him <br />what did he say? <br /> <br />Carmody asked <br />said he didn't smoke <br />that kind <br />said they made <br /> <br />his throat sore <br />that was what he said? <br />yes and my sister <br />was upset of course <br /> <br />and went off <br />to her room to cry <br />but I just said <br />but it's the thought <br /> <br />that counts <br />and we just thought <br />you'd smoke the cigarettes <br />look ok thanks <br /> <br />for the thought <br />the old man said <br />and took the packet <br />and stuffed them <br /> <br />in his pocket <br />and read <br />the birthday card <br />we'd both written him <br /> <br />and put it on the table <br />and said <br />how much did you get <br />on the empty bottles? <br /> <br />so I told him <br />and he said <br />they were my bottles <br />I ought to <br /> <br />have had the money <br /> for them kid <br />you have <br />I told him <br /> <br />In the form <br />of the cigarettes <br />what did he say <br />about that? <br /> <br />Carmody asked <br />he just stared <br />and took the cigarettes <br />out and opened them up <br /> <br />and lit one <br />and inhaled <br />and coughed <br />and I thought <br /> <br />good job too <br />and walked away <br />and Carmody <br />nodded his head <br /> <br />and sniggered <br />and you went off <br />with him to kick <br />around the ball <br /> <br />in the playground <br />at school <br />and said nothing <br />much more at all.<br /><br />Terry Collett<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/unwanted-gift-2/
