***paradise-10-Father Dave Poem by Coach Roth

Coach took a job bartending
at a tavern on Sunset Boulevard…
All the regulars were in…
Little Donny Quinn, Frank the Greek,
Indian Bobby, Hawaiian Bobby, Puerto Rican Bobby,
Uncle Buck and Chumly on the floor.
(Chumly, not Uncle Buck…not yet…
It was early…)

As he did each night,
Father Dave walked in the door
fresh from mass in Spanish
for his Latin community.
Pepsi and peanuts…and then
some gentle ministering to
a crowd that needed some ministering.
Then he continued on his walk home
as he did each night…

Moments later
three shots rang out…
Coach yelled at the waitresses…
“Lock the doors, stay inside…
Call 9-1-1”
Then he ran through the kitchen
out the back door and snuck
up on the front…
Father Dave was lying
in the parking lot…
bleeding out.

Uncle Buck came up
behind Coach
“Damn it Buck, get inside…”
“You too man…”
“No way…damn it no way…”
Father Dave deserved better
than to die alone
in a goddamn tavern
parking lot…

Coach knelt in the blood
lifted Dave’s head into his lap…
Uncle Buck on the other side
holding Father Dave's hand.

Buck, a Vietnam Vet,
knew better than Coach
the blood sucking back
through the chest…
“He’ll be gone soon…
let’s get inside…”
“Not alone Buck,
he ain’t going to die alone.”
There was just the smallest movement
of Father Dave’s eyes,
Coach prayed that he knew
he wasn’t alone…

Then the lot was on fire
Flashing red lights, spot lights…
Cops from everywhere…
Guns pointed at Coach and Buck

“Get on the ground…move away…
get on the ground…”

Buck spread eagled…
Coach stayed put…

A final warning…
“Keep your hands clear and
Get on the ground…”

“Not till he’s dead…
He ain’t dying alone…”

The cops carefully
put a gun to his head…
But Coach wouldn’t budge…
then with a huge sigh…
Father Dave died…
It was done.

The cops threw Coach
to the ground...
the scene was secured…
the search was on…

For Father Dave’s funeral,
the mothers of the parish
turned out in the thousands
with their cholo gang-banging sons
who sent out a message
to the killer…
Pray that the police
find you before we do…

He turned himself in two days later…
Just a scared 14 year old kid
who panicked when Father Dave
told him to put the gun away
as he reached for his wallet…
He could have had the money
and kept his soul…
instead he lost both.

But in the end…
Everyone loses…
…and dying alone is bad
But living alone is worse…