Gus Perrystation famously fixed clocks
got to know him because he did
my grandfather’s gold fob watch
silent for decades in a silken pouch
why not make it work again
he looked at it intensely interested
consulted me about a patient sorely ill
can’t be done ancient screws are missing
will have to change the whole insides
then you lose the heart and soul of it
thanked him the start of fellowship
grizzled eighty years very much my senior
saw him often in his run-down widower’s home
he liked his Scotch knew my taste for El Dorado
“basically my life has stopped I like it so
still fix clocks talk with friends and wait”
he had an optimistic view of things
leave it to the generations life always had
“look at us my friend are we not good enough?”
best friend was Monsignor at the Cathedral
had shriven him of all his many sins
“I was a famous jewel thief” he laughed
I grew to love the man he saw what’s good
sometimes he recalled his three sons in their prime
all had died the hands of God are not gentle
tears came to me who has living sons
one day he was not there no signs of him
the Monsignor did not know where he had gone
“in time to come you will know where to find him”
I think he meant heaven but I do not know