I packed some things and started on the path from home one day,

"Good luck, my son. You'll do just fine," I heard my father say.

"It's time to find your place in life now that you're a grown man."

I looked back and smiled, "Thanks, Dad...I'll do the best I can."

I found a barn to sleep in that first night on my own,

The pink-wink's sounded creepy and I wanted to call home.

But there wasn't any service, even high up in the loft,

So I sighed and found a corner where the hay was fresh and soft.

I stared up at the aging roof where moonlight filtered through,

And asked myself what exactly I was going to do.

"Happiness," Mom had said, "is priority number one."

"But don't forget, "Dad added, "that life isn't always fun."

When I awoke the sun was up, and birds sang just outside,

I heard some footsteps drawing near and found a place to hide.

A man walked in with a pipe and tried to find a wrench,

We both jumped when he saw me crouching underneath his bench.

I told him not to hurt me, that I was just about to leave,

He slowly looked me over then grinned, "Hi, my name is Steve."

He asked what I was doing sleeping in his crappy barn,

Steve settled on a stool while I told him the whole yarn.

He didn't answer right away when I asked his thoughts on Fate,

He scratched his chin then offered, "Good things come to those who wait."

Steve cooked me up some breakfast then politely winked goodbye,

"Come keep an old man company if you're ever passing by."

I walked along the dusty road and thought about Steve's words,

I often stopped to rest and whistle with the darting birds.

As it started growing dark I saw a town far up ahead,

I couldn't wait to have a meal and sleep in a real bed.

I dragged my feet into the very first hotel I saw,

My face and clothes were dirty, my blistered ankles' raw.

The clerk behind the desk mumbled, "May I help you sir?"

I fetched the twoonie Dad gave me and handed it to her.

The woman raised her eyebrows, "Is this some kind of joke?"

When I told her that was all I had, she sneered, "Then you are broke."

"That won't buy much 'round here," she said, sliding back the coin,

"There's a gang of drifters camped nearby that maybe you should join."

Other clerks I begged all gave the same advice,

One said I couldn't stay even if I payed the price.

I finally found the drifter camp just before midnight,

One heard me walking towards him and switched on his flashlight.

I whispered that I really needed just somewhere to rest,

A squeaky voice said, "By the river's probably the best."

I stumbled to the grassy bank and settled in to sleep,

And thought out loud, "It's lumpy...but also very cheap."

"Excuse me, but can I get by?" I heard a man's voice say,

I woke up to a naked guy with some Oil of Olay.

I scrambled sideways like a crab, then froze with utter shock,

As he waded in up to his waist and proudly scrubbed his cock.

I wandered through the drifter's camp and smiled at everyone,

A woman waved and pointed to some butter and a bun.

I sat and ate with her two kids, who wolfed their bread down fast,

Then ran to see the workers off as they were going past.

"Where do they go?" I asked her as she stood sipping her tea,

The woman quietly shook her head and didn't look at me.

I followed the men to a mill and watched them walk inside,

"You've got the job," the foreman said, after I applied.

The mill was loud and dusty and the long hours wore me down,

I spent my Friday paychecks at the stripper club in town.

Us men all went to sleep right after we had ate,

And left the sombre women to wash and dry our plate.

I tried to put some time aside before the lamps went out,

To write down what I thought this life was really all about.

I sent some letters to the folks and said I missed them lots,

I forced my face to crack a smile then mailed them the snapshots.

On weekends we would all sing songs about a better way,

Where we wore suits and bossed around the rich folks every day.

The bonfire coals would still be glowing when the children woke,

But nothing ever changed because our spirits had been broke.

And so I took my ear-plugs out one busy afternoon,

Then grinned and started humming our favorite campfire tune:

"Those office chaps that stand and watch the low man while he works,

Don't know that there's a special place in Hell reserved for jerks."

The other guys shut down the saws and started listening,

A few were even brave enough to join along and sing.

I told the boss that men were men, even if they're poor,

And to, "Take this job and shove it...I ain't workin' here no more."

The whole place cheered and whistled as I started for the door,

And seven other pairs of feet walked across that floor.

The boss came quickly forward and asked us all to wait,

But our minds were set on staying true to our destined Fate.

One man became a teacher and another ran a shop,

The others got together and formed a food co-op.

And me, I wrote a book about a certain town I knew,

Where: "Nothing ever happened, and there was nothing to do."

I still don't drive a fancy car and rarely order steak,

But at least I have respect for every decision that I make.

Each morning I spring out of bed and greet the shining sun,

And hope to be a better man before the day is done.