"Mary's Uneventful Life"

Smokestacks against the landscape
cold morning industrial town
husbands and fathers off to the factories
to labor until the sundown.
The women send their children to school
doting mother, loving housewife
These are the images that set the scene
for Mary's uneventful life.

It was here Mary was born and raised
to a factory man and his bride
and Mary grew up believing
that it was here she'd live and die.
All her friends up and moved away
each one finding their way out
from this factory hell existence
where there was nothing to smile about.

Now Mary worked in a diner
where even the burgers tasted of smoke
day in, day out, again and again
it seemed her life was a cruel joke.
and then one morning in winter
in walked a stranger from the cold
he sat down to have some coffee
and oh what wonderful tales he told.

Tales of sailing endless oceans blue
Flying to mountains and valleys green
all the places he had visited
and all the beautiful things he'd seen.
Mary listened, she was captivated
by these places better than here
and when she lay to sleep that night
she dreamed those places were near.

The next day came with the dawn
Mary's uneventful life was still around
so she got dressed for her same old job
in the same old industrial town.
when she got to work, he was still there
the stranger with wonderful tales
and he said, "I have to admit something
there's nothing better than a diner's smells'.

'The smell of coffee and breakfast fixed
the aroma of freshly cleaned floors
the scent of a perfumed pretty waitress
like the one that just walked in the door".
He smiled at Mary a genuine smile
that said so much more than his verse
and he spoke, looking into her eyes
"let me tell you, out there it's worse...'

'For every ocean and every mountain
every flower and every field
there's people hurting each other
until even the voice of love is stilled.
I can tell, you wish you were far away
from this small town and very place,
and there's nothing to me more lovely
then that look of longing on your face.'

'But we all long for something different
for a change to our usual life
some long for the thrill of adventure
while others may long for a wife.
And though I've been to many places
every journey has led me to believe this
all the travels, and sights, and seeking
I'd trade in for one honest kiss".

Mary smiled, leaned across the counter
gave him a kiss wrapped in honesty
"thank you", she said, "for coming in here,
I feel like you came here just for me."
"oh, I did, my dear', he softly replied
'Didn't you believe he'd hear your prayer?
Why do you think I travel so much
sailing across the seas and upon the air?"

Her eyes lit up, "are you an angel?
Can you take me away from all this?"
the stranger smiled and shook his head,
"No, I can't, but thanks for the kiss,
because for the longest of times
I've been on this uneventful course
never even realizing that true happiness
remains right back at the source."

The stranger got up to take his leave
"For you, here's one last little tip"
He handed to her a silver quarter
and gave it a little spinning flip.
The coin landed in her open palm
"Always remember this, you must"
and she saw the words on the coin in her hand
which read, "In God We Trust".

When Mary looked up, he was gone
Maybe vanished or just walked away
then she smiled bigger than life
for the big turn of events today
because now she realized a few things
that she didn't know before
what she thought was an uneventful life
was just her wanting something more.

And as the day came to a close
in the cold, industrial town
Mary sweetly smiled to herself
at the new peace she had found,
for in life's most simplest things
be it a smile, or maybe even a kiss
there lives the greatest joy of all
in an uneventful life such as this.