JACK: "Gotta keep um Seperated, Eight-teen-dream-blue-jean"
(You gotta keep 'm separated)
I love L.A. the bright lights flash and the neon burns and the air has a certain tang like acid in your lungs.
~like the latest fashion ~like a spreading disease
Here we play in jungles of dim lit little alleys giving way to exclusive hidden clubs where Gods walk in thousand dollar dresses among the cheap and tawdry the herion riddled and unwashed masses They paw, we preen. Its almost sick the striking difference. Im to drunk to care that it could be dangerous.. I laugh to myself like anything could be dangerous for me? With my watch dogs ever hounding on my heels, I shiver I draw the collar of my five hundred dollar jack up, cheap thing that it is. Im "Slumming" tonight prowling the back streets for something new.
~the kids are strappin' on their way to the classroom ~getting weapons with the greatest of ease
I come to the corner where the line starts, I can feel my body strutting to
a rhythm that is half grace and half the easily well practiced motion of not
giving in to falling down drunkenly. My name is Jack and you can smell it on
my breath. I pass there stares of envy and jealiousy from the "line
dwellers" I step up to the velvet rope exchanging a few words with the local
bouncer his name is Rodney and he has a weakness for the Lakers, with a
smile I slip into what tonight is 'the most exclusive club on the west
coast' and Rodney slips a set of front row tickets to the lakers next game
into his pocket.
~the gangs stake their own campus locale
~and if they catch you slippin' then it's all over pal
I feel the beat thrumming through my body, I am on autopilot to dead inside
to care that the music is the latest greatest, I feel eyes paw across my
body and offers of momentary intimacy brush aginst me as I move I am to
drunk to care, dancing high as a kite letting the music drive away my muzzy
thoughts 'I don't want to go to Gorge town. Cant he understand im not like
him im supposed to be free now to be -young-'
~if one guy's colors and the others don't mix ~they're gonna bash it up ~hey - man you talkin' back to me?
Time comes and goes bluring so fast before I know it, its 3am.. 3am shine
and shit im sober again. Last call a memory lingering on the tounge I pry
myself from the blonde thing on my arm 'who is she anyway?'
I make my nod to the people I know, ive been seen and that's whats important
you cant go to long without letting them see you or the next thing you know
your yesterdays leftovers. I slip out back for a cigerate.. God I need a
cigerate... no I need something... new.. something to drive away the numb..
but a cigerate will have to do. I see a scuffle, Some dude, isn't always?
Hits his girlfriend for talking back to him. Now that's class..
~take him out
~you gotta keep 'em separated
~hey - man you disrespecting' me?
~take him out
~you gotta keep 'em separated
Hes standing there laughing with his buddys high probly, stupid drugs fuck you up even wrose when your already stupid... im sure tomarrow he will be all like Baby I love you. But scum like him dosnt know what love is... 'Dad why would you ever want to -save- assholes like that?' Shes sobbing on her friends shoulder blood running down her face. Ever the fan of human drama I cant help but drift a bit closer.. Shit shecant even be 17 just a baby... just some country farmers daughter come to the glitter glitz of LA and caught up with some drug pip wife beating scum thinks he can user her and throw her away. Before I know it ive walked up to the two girls and Im talking, I can hear Kennedy words flowing out of my mouth.. even I don't know what im saying...
~you gotta keep 'em separated
I convince her friend she needs to get out of here, But shes afraid "Marco will find her." Why is it always a Marco? Or some cliché bullshit like this. I turn with a sigh and lift my voice I feel the thrill tingling in my skin, im awake now.. but sit im sober "Hey Marco, Whats amatter cant please your own woman so you gotta bloody her up? Another bad day at your dead end looser job have to take it out on the only good thing your sorry piece of shit life has going for it?" I smile I think that's done it... Marco comes stalking over hes twice my size and looks like he bench presses buicks for breakfast hes gotta be at lest 22.. He leans in realy close and I can taste my name on his breath 'jack'. He mutters through macho gritted teeth "you gott a problem pal? You want I should shut your big mouth" To a chours of "Marco hes just a dumb kid"
~hey they don't pay no mind ~if you're under 18 you wont be doing' any time ~hey come out and play
We dance, I weave more words designed to make Marco feel less the man, goading inevitability to a head. "you punk kid you tell me why I should mess your face across the pavement?" says Marco. I smile "I wouldn't I don't want to see you get hurt, Its not worth throwing your life away Marco, why don't you be reasonable and just move along. If you don't ever come near the girl again I'll let you walk away from here."
~by the time you hear the siren ~its already too late ~one goes to the morgue and the other to jail
Im smilling now I can taste my own blood on my mouth like a flash of precognition I feel the meat slam into my goodlooks even before old hammer hand here 'Jacks' me in the face.. now I realy am tasting my own name.. I reel and the pavement comes up to meet me... I wonder if Marco thought it odd that I was laughing... "What.. Whatcha laughin at freak! You some kinda crack head? You gonna take a shot..." I pull myself up spitting out blood and shake my head "Not me... Im a lover not a fighter.. But I think you pissed him off." I look past Marcos shoulder and smile my bloody grin.
one guy's wasted and the other's a waste it goes down the same as a thousand before no one's getting smarter no one's learning the score
Marco looks up in time to see two hundred and fifty pounds of Blackman in a suit come baring down on him like an avenging angel... Marcos head rocks back in 'shock? Or impact' as Marks lays him out, and begins wrestling him around to cuff him. I stand shaky on my feet and make my way toward the ladys. I press a wad of hundreds into the girls hands and says softly around my swelling mouth "he wont bother you again.. he wont be around for a while.. I promise." The girls are shocked as men in suits come up one places his hand on my shoulder "Are you allright Mr. Kennedy? We need to get you into a car sir."
~your never ending spree of death and violence and hate ~is gonna tie your own rope
From over my shoulder I can hear Marks remark "Asualt on a minor... a Senators son.. I wouldn't worry about payin your rent anytime soon boy." I smile at the girls and let the men in there suits lead me away...
you gotta keep 'em separated hey they don't pay no mind if you're under 18 you wont be doing' any time
you have to let them see you... or else the next thing you know your yesterdays... news Im lost somewhere inside the thrum of my swollen face, it reminds me im alive. Perhaphs tomarrow will be another day...
~don't pay no mind ~you're under 18 you wont be doing' any time ~hey come out and play
I am Jack's swollen smile
