Remembering Mike Along The Railway Tracks Poem by Raj Arumugam

Mike and I were best of friends
and we drank together
and walked home together
And we’d walk along the railway tracks
and Mike
was always the more observant of us two
Yes, I always looked up to him
He’d be first to point out any irregularities
and so he’d say:
“There sure are a lot of steps
along the way”
And I’d concur
and I’d say:
“Yes, Mike…
And the problem is
the bloody handrails
are so low down”

And you know what
Mike is gone
and I still walk back
along the railway tracks
and the bloody idiots in charge of the railway
after all these years
they still put a lot of steps all the way
and worse –
they still put those damned handrails
so low down…
Some people never learn;
they never change

I shout these things aloud
And I look up to Mike as I say these things
as I walk alone