Looking at an Old Familiar Friend
by Jim Farrar (1975)
What a face. Wow, man. You've been with me a long time, we've seen and done quite a bit together. Remember Death Valley, San Francisco, and all those baseball games? Yeah, those were the good old days. Oh yes, and there's been bad times. Do you remember the night dad died? You were mighty young then, but even when you're a little boy things can still hurt. And when your brother cracked your skull open with that baseball you thought you were dead, but when you lived you just knew you'd have a nasty scar on your face for a long time. Yes, you may not have liked some of the things that have happened to you, but they are just a much a part of you as anything could be.
You know, you've changed over the years. I've been watching you for quite some time now and I can honestly say that you're completely different from when you started your career as a human being. Your hair's longer, a lot longer than what it used to be. And you've rid yourself of all that baby fat – your facial features are sharp and concise now. But your eyes, that's what gets me. You know you're sloe-eyed, like Phil Esposito, the hockey player. They seem to be very expressive, yet, at the same time mysterious. Even I, the person who should know you best wonder what goes on behind those green orbs at times. Really, I mean it, man. Sometimes when I look at you, I wonder if that's really me in there. You can really scare me, when you wish to do so.
You know, looking at you makes me wonder what you're going to be like in years to come. You've got a lifetime ahead of you, if you can live to see it. Are you going to do what you say you'll do? Or are you just going to be another crazy dreamer trying to hide from the present? Can you do what you want to do? Sometimes I don't know. Maybe that's just part of the game – you'll grow out of it some day.
Well, what is it green eyes? You're not saying much. Is it because you're a puppet of me? Is it? You know, it's funny, but when you look that close it's kinda hard to see.