The Case Of Louis Warren

In the case of Louis Warren
He wasn’t very nice
To all his younger class men
In Manchester Junior High
He was five years older
With a permanent grin
And if i heard a footstep man I’d pray it wasn’t him

A guy you gotta deal with
In the hasing rights of youth
When a five year gap in age makes the younger boys helpless
Most younger boys would tease and pat you on the head
And if Louis could get away with it i think he’d rather leave you dead

And he graduated high school
And he left us all in peace
He went away to college
Another freshman for the heap
And on his first year
New sandals on his feet
Springbreak in Cancún
To finger bang the beach

And on that fateful night
A drive home from the bar
The mescal had him spinning
And he flipped his rental car
The car it set on fire
With the wheels in the air still turning
The two other boys they died on impact
And Louis he lived while burning

And our town was very small
So news like this was grim
As mean as he could be
Our hearts they broke for him
Ninety Percent, 3Third Degree
Six month nightmare on his back
In six months we had to wonder
What we’d find when he came back

And on some winter night
At a function in the school
While eating our hors d’oeuvres
A chill ran through the room
The other side of the cafeteria
The door it slowly opened
Mr warren wheeled in his son
And not a word was spoken

And the first thing I remember
Was not being able to find him
My eyes they no reference i had to take a second look

And the next thing i remember before the fear set in
Were two of the most gentle eyes and light surrounding them

Yes it was still Lous, but one we didn’t know
Round his burnt and twisted body there was a soft and gentle glow
Call it loss of pride
Or a rebirth from death
When the things go that define you
What is it that is left?

And slowly he recovered at least then from the pain
And we became friends that summer
And we talked about the rain
I’d drive him in my car and we’d sit in parking lots
He’d show me his skin grafts and talk about the nurse he thought was hot

So let us not forget to treat each other well
So a nemesis won’t come and ring your rusty bell
And in the case of Louis warren
His days still turn to night
But he wouldn’t be half the man he was without the fire that saved his life