Hobo Billy And A Kiss - Ernie Carpenter

[Lawrence Robinson]

Hobo Billy And A Kiss

Went to Salt Lake City in 1962. Four college students
In a black Ford Bronco. Started with a case of Green Death.
Gone before the Nevada State line. We fired the
Shotgun out the window and chased rabbits in the
Desert night. Spun donuts and yelled our stupid youthful delight.
Kind of adventure that young men had.

First stop Mustang Ranch. A lonely ranch with trailers and
Bucking whores. Scared me more then Hannibal, my old
Retired race horse back home. He had no pretext when he turned to
The barn. He wanted to dump me, knock me off with a tree,
Buck me. Stomp me. Get me off his back. It was all I could
Do to hold on. The talk after that grew boastful and snarky.

Two months later, first pay check bounced, cleaning grease
From restaurant kitchens, eating six hamburgers for a dollar,
Watching Boss drink and chase women. Caught a ride to Vegas, 
hitched 95 to Needles, California. Hotter than Hades, thumb out, 
Man dressed in all black, white shirt, skinny tie, stingy bream hat,
Black Impala, red and white leather seats flipped a U
And picked me up. Air conditioned with a beer.
Man, you could die out there he said. Musta’
Been a gangster or an actor.

Got to Needles near sundown with two dollars and
Fifty- two cents. Found the rail yard the hobo camp with
The box car tramps. They were cooking Mulligan over
The campfire in a gumbo can. As good as mom’s home
Cooking. I was on the hog. Had some black strap in
The same tin can. Flopped on some cardboard covered
With the moon and a California blanket. They knew
I was no cat but a tourist.

Hobo Billy was going North to pick fruit, or so he said.
He knew the way, the Harness Bulls, the Dicks, how to catch
A sidecar pull man on the run. He was on the broke like
Me, a boxcar tramp. Our arrival was perfect and
Billy got us on a boxcar with more California bedding
And we climbed the Tehachapi to Bakersfield. The train curled 
uphill behind us, mountains stark and dark. Gonna’ be colder then a
witch’s tit he said.

Got to Bakersfield in the morning light. Billy asked if
I had any money. I said fifty -two cents. He said that’s enough
For some Apple Jack wine. There’s a liquor store right over
There. He had to catch on the run but he had the Apple Jack.
We sat in the Hobo Special, legs dangling, passing the Apple
Jack back and forth. Morning light, through the Valley
To Stockton.

I asked Hobo Billy why he lived this life, moving from crop to crop,
Or town to town. You ever piss out a box car door and
It blows in your face, you’ll know the answer to that
Question, he said. I hopped off in Stockton with that
Poetry to contemplate, never to see Hobo Billy again.
I hoofed to the Loser Cruiser Station and caught
The Hound to Concord. It was a two- dollar ticket.

On the Hound I met a pretty lady in the back
Of the bus. I told her this story. She kissed me. I kissed her.
She drove me home. She and Hobo Billy just dream
Particles now. I walked into the house. My Dad
Was reading the newspaper. He asked “Where have
You been?” Oh. Nowhere I replied. I headed for
The reefer and then a hot shower. Closed the door
Counting sheep like before.

	- Ernie Carpenter
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