johnny without a rainbow
johnny without a rainbow and a hole in his boots
with machine gun grease to his elbows
and a platinum wife and a bun in the oven
and what's that comin', johnny get back to work
a ten hour day
a two hour night
touching her with his monkey wrench fingers
and well oiled palms, she just turns to the floral print walls
under the floral print bedspread between the ice cold pastel sheets
and johnny without a rainbow wonders what in the hell for
another late night early morning walk to work
and the doors froze shut and phones ringing
and the boss will say he's late and dock him for the hour
that he'll stay late to make up
and no matter how much he pumps those damn cars are never full
and they're not the only ones who go empty
another coca-cola lunch
topped off by a greasy rim shot to the garbage
it slides off the edge and skims across the floor
like the tin cans tied to johnny's car
the day he and susie homemaker
made themselves perfect parents for the one they couldn't scrap
and johnny wants to name him after his father
but susie says no, shithead won't do
and no not even named after you
and johnny without a rainbow never even caught on
in the pit. oh shit, and he's up to his ass in automobiles
the boss is callin' about a car thats stallin'
and christ why can't ya fix it right
and his wife's on the line
seems she'll be out for a time, someone called her surprise
sojohnnywould you make your own dinner
i'll be home when i'm slimmer
and don't wait up for me tonight
another one at the pump, fill'er up chump
i got a blonde just dyin' to meet me
and johnny without a rainbow's got a hole in his boots
Copyright© michael dennis/fast eddie press 1979