No place in the World for You

No Place in The World for You was written in April 1969. As I resurrect these old poems, I almost can't believe what downers they were. Strangely, this one just happens to have been written at the same time I started going out with my first wife.

No Place in the World for You

There’s flowers growing all around you
The sky reflects in the waters so blue
You know you should be happy just to see it all there
But somehow you just don’t care
You’re thinking perhaps it’s true
That there’s no place in the world for you

The man beside you on the assembly line
Does the same job as you only he feels fine
While you can’t think of a reason to smile
And you’re seeking revenge on the world all the while
And you think it may be true
That there’s no place in the world for you

You see those youngsters, they’re as old as you
They say “here, have a pill” so you take a few
But you put them in your pocket and there they will stay
‘Cause you’re scared of what your society would say
You wonder if it could be true
That there’s no place in the world for you

You turn on the radio and listen to the man
He’s using words you just don’t understand
You need someone to explain but you know it’s so
You’d rather die than admit there’s something you don’t know
You hope it isn’t true
That there’s no place in the world for you

You live day by day and you set your own pace
But the kid next door says you’re just taking up space
You ask “what do you know?” and you shake your head
But looking back at him you wish you were dead
And it’s starting to come through
That there’s no place in the world for you

You say you have your friends who think you’re the king
And what others think couldn’t mean a thing
You think your friends believe there’s nothing that you lack
If only you could see them laugh and talk behind your back
And one day you’ll realize it’s true
That there’s no place in the world for you


Steven Pein
23 April 1969
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The Price You Pay for Love

I wrote The Price You Pay for Love back in January 1968 while I was stationed in Germany. It's a light hearted bit about a guy that's confronted by an old flame that dumped him. This one also was lost for a long time and only recently found.

THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR LOVE

Some time ago you left me
When I needed you the most
You packed your things and said goodbye
And headed for the coast
And now I find you at my door
You want to have me back
You think I should invite you in
And help you to unpack

Perhaps you can’t appreciate
The way I cried that day
You left a man in misery
To go his lonely way
What kind of man do you suppose
Would ask you to come in
You want me to forget the pain
And loneliness I’ve seen

Now wipe that smile from your face
I’ll have to let you stay
I can’t turn down the girl I love
I’m a loser all the way


Steven Pein
5 January 1968
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Last Generation

I wrote Last Generation in 1968, only four months after I got out of the service. I suppose you could say it's about passing the baton from one generation of government to the next. I was pretty certain in my mind that big change was coming and I was naive enough to believe we might even see an end to war. In reflecting upon its errant message from way back then, I added the last four lines today as an update.

LAST GENERATION

Listen to the voice of the establishment
Preaching from the central throne
Writhing green with envy for the morally free
And they won’t leave us alone

Bound by chains of hate and animosity
And grateful to control
The death machine of bureaucratic government
From their blast-proof underground hole

What they see and what they hate synonymous
And their minds are built of fears
The people that their narrow minds can’t comprehend
Are subversives, cranks, or queers

Children of depression and hostility
Perhaps they’ve done their best
But now the time has come for them to step aside
And their minds be put to rest

The movement gains momentum with each passing day
It has passed the point of no return
It’s revolution coming for the good of man
Open up his mind so he can learn

Newly added stanza:

Then perhaps as time goes by our world will change
Maybe we will stop all war
Or maybe our new leaders will be just the same
And the killing lasts forever more


Steven Pein
29 December 1968
Modified 23 March 2010
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Getting Old

Today I was thinking about my upcoming appointment to sign up for Medicare and Social Security. My thoughts turned to old age and this just popped into my mind.

GETTING OLD

Getting old ain’t fun my friend
It’s full of aches and pains
You struggle more each passing year
As losses trump the gains

And just a walk around the block
Can be so tough a chore
You sometimes reconsider
As you’re walking out the door

It’s even hard to drive your car
And not get in a wreck
You turn your head to look around
And pains shoot through your neck

You try to change one light bulb
And it hurts your lower back
For two bulbs just forget it
You’ll risk a heart attack

Those restaurants have early birds
But that’s a load of crap
‘Cause every time your belly’s full
You need to take a nap

And every time you turn around
Another problem hits
Don’t try no new foods my friend
You’ll wind up with the shits

But old age has one good point
Unless I got it wrong
The one good thing about it
Is it doesn’t last that long

Steven Pein
22 March 2010
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Crypto-One

"Crypto-One" is the companion novel to "The Six". I wanted to post a little teaser for those who might be interested, so I decided to put part of the Prologue on the Blog.

PROLOGUE

Thursday, 29 July 1993 - Kahuku Point, Oahu
Construction had finally started on the new north-shore resort, and the bulldozer was clearing away the debris from two days of blasting. The foreman noticed the metallic glint coming from the huge chunk of igneous rock. He signaled the bulldozer operator to halt and went in for a closer look.
“What’s wrong, Chuck?” the operator inquired after killing the engine.
“I’m not sure, Don. There’s something embedded in the rock here. I think you’d better check this out.”
Only a small portion of the object was exposed, but its surface appeared perfectly spherical. It had a shiny copper appearance with no visible scratches or gouges.
As Don climbed down from the bulldozer, Chuck commented, “This thing looks man-made to me; like a giant ball bearing. What do you think it is?”
Don approached cautiously, removed his cap and scratched his head. “I don’t know what to think. It’s inside the rock. It must have been there a long time. It couldn’t be an unexploded Japanese bomb or anything. It’s gotta be hundreds of years old.”
Chuck shook his head. “Maybe even older!”
Both men were bewildered. Chuck decided to call the University of Hawaii and have them send someone out to take a look. Two hours later the van pulled up to the site. A middle-aged woman and a young man got out and started toward the construction trailer.
“Over here,” Chuck shouted as he emerged from a group of men gathered around the rock. He jogged over and extended his hand. “Chuck Morgan at your service.”
“I’m Professor Polly Shaeffer from the Archeology Department, and this is Gary Mahi, a grad student. Why don’t you tell us what you found?”
“It’s metal and it’s encased in lava,” Chuck explained as he led them to the rock. “You tell me what it is!”
He watched them examine it. Polly sent Gary back to the van for a tool box. When he returned, she selected a small hammer and chisel, then gently tapped the rock around the exposed metallic area. Small chunks broke away cleanly, exposing more of the object.
“Take a look at these markings,” she instructed Gary.
He leaned over for a closer look. “My God!” he exclaimed. “It looks like some kind of picture writing, but I don’t recognize it. Do you think it’s hieroglyphics or something?”
“Or something!” she replied. “It’s not like any hieroglyphics I’ve seen before.”
“So what happens now?” asked Chuck impatiently.
Polly looked up and said, “If it’s all right with you, I’m going to get a crew out here right away to remove this thing.”
“Sure,” he agreed. “So what do you think it is?”
“Too soon to tell,” she admitted. “We’ll have to examine it more closely back in the lab. Is there a phone I can use?”
“Over in the trailer,” he said. “I’ll show you.”
He walked them over to the office and listened while Polly made her call.
“Hi, Bill. It’s a strange one and I’m going to bring it in. Can you send a few of the guys up here to help? Tell them to bring the truck and a five foot crate with some blankets..... No, it doesn’t appear fragile, but I’d like to give it a soft ride anyway. Do you know where this place is?... Great! How long before you get underway?... Okay, I’ll see you in about two hours. Bye.”
She hung up and asked Chuck, “Can your men work around the thing for a couple of hours?”
“I guess they’ll have to. You two are welcome to wait in here if you want.”
“No thanks,” Polly politely refused. “I’d rather spend the time out there with the find.”
.
They arrived at the lab a little after five. Polly and Gary worked most of the night chipping pieces of the rock away from the object. They concentrated on the area with the symbols, hoping to reveal something recognizable. By daybreak they were totally discouraged.
“What do we do next?” Gary inquired.
“I think I’ll bring in someone from Metallurgy,” answered Polly. “Professor Jacobs might be able to shed some light on the subject.”
“He usually gets in around nine,” Gary informed her. “I’m going to crash for a few hours. I’ll see you later this morning.”
“Okay, Gary. I’m too excited to sleep, though. I think I’ll grab some toast and coffee and then keep chipping away. I’ll see you later.”
They left the lab together. After an hour of tossing and turning, Gary decided to take a shower and return to the lab. He found Polly and Professor Jacobs examining the object.
“So what’s the prognosis?” he asked walking up behind them.
“Hi, Gary! Professor Jacobs only arrived a few moments ago. Professor, do you know Gary Mahi?”
“Sure,” Professor Jacobs replied without looking up. “Hello, Gary.”
“Hello, Professor. What does it look like to you?”
“I’m not sure. It looks like copper, but it’s much harder. I can’t even scratch it with my diamond tie tack. I’ll show you something even stranger. Touch it! It doesn’t feel cold. It feels more like ceramic than metal.”
Gary pressed the palm of his hand against the object. “You’re right!” he agreed. “It’s not a good heat conductor. Could it really be ceramic?”
“No! I’m pretty certain it’s a metal, but it just doesn’t fit.”
“What do you mean, Professor?”
“It’s embedded in the rock; suspended there. Are we to assume it survived molten lava temperatures? And the time frame seems impossible. How long ago was this chunk of lava in a molten state?”
Polly asked, “Then what can it be?”
“I think we’d better ask Uncle Sam that question,” suggested Professor Jacobs. “Maybe the Navy guys will know what it is.”
.
Lieutenant Stratham arrived at one o’clock sharp and introduced himself as a Navy weapons expert. Polly led him to the lab and watched him inspect the object. She noticed he was very careful not to touch it.
“Where did this come from?” he inquired.
“The north shore. They blasted there and this turned up in the debris.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t planted there?”
“Planted? What do you mean?”
“Do you know for a fact that this emerged from the blasting? I was just considering the possibility of a hoax or something.”
“I’m afraid I only know what the foreman told me,” admitted Polly. “He appeared sincere to me. I suppose it could have been planted there. What are you getting at?”
“I’m just asking some routine questions,” he assured her. “I don’t mind telling you that I’m baffled. I’m going to take a few pictures and consult with my superiors. My advice is that you leave it alone for right now. Just stay away from it.”
“You’re frightening me, Lieutenant. Are you suggesting it’s a bomb or something?”
“No! I’m suggesting that it’s an unidentified object and common sense demands we exercise due caution.”
He placed a six inch steel rule on the table by the object, took a small camera from his briefcase and snapped photos from every conceivable angle. He took a sample chip of the rock from Polly, then packed everything up in his briefcase.
“I’ll get back to you as soon as possible, Professor Shaeffer. Here’s my card if you need to reach me for anything. Do you think you can keep everyone away from this thing until you hear from me?”
“I suppose so,” she agreed reluctantly.
“Look, I know it’s tempting. I’d love to pick and probe at it myself, but I’m a weapons specialist who’s trained to suspect everything.”
“Say no more, Lieutenant. I understand.”
Polly showed the Lieutenant out and then returned to the lab. She viewed the object with new respect and new fear.
She made her way over to the classroom for her three o’clock class. It was a welcome distraction for an hour and a half. After class, she began gathering up her belongings, oblivious to the man approaching her.
“Excuse me, Professor. May I speak with you?”
“Lieutenant Stratham! You startled me. What’s going on?”
“I’m very sorry I startled you, Professor.” He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. “This is a contraband material seizure notice. I’m afraid we have to take possession of the object.”
“Why? What is it?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not at liberty to discuss the matter with you. I wish I could say more, but I’m under strict orders.”
“I’ll have to check with my Department Head, Lieutenant. The object is technically University property.”
“I understand, Professor. I’ll accompany you if you don’t mind. And there’s one more thing. I’ll need you to provide me a list of everyone who saw or came in contact with the object.”
“Everyone?”
“Well, everyone you’re aware of. That includes the names of anybody you know at the blasting site.”
“You’re frightening me again,” she confessed.
“I’m sorry. It’s just a routine precautionary measure.”
“Precaution over what?”
“Please, Professor Shaeffer! I just can’t tell you anything more.”

Saturday, 31 July 1993 - Baltimore, Maryland
Retired Air Force General Anthony Morris was putting his lawnmower away when his wife poked her head into the garage.
“Director Thorn’s on the phone for you. He says it’s urgent.”
“Thanks Flo. Tell him I’ll be right there.”
He brushed the grass clippings from his pant legs, walked into the kitchen and took the phone from Flo.
“Hi, Tom. What’s up?”
“I just got off the phone with the Navy in Oahu. They found a metallic object embedded in some lava rock.”
“I’m out of that game now, Tom. Besides, the Air Force closed the book a long time ago.”
“Tony, they said it’s a one-foot diameter sphere with some kind of picture writing inscribed on its surface.”
General Morris went pale. He sat down at the kitchen table and asked, “What color is it?”
“I think you already know, General.”
“What are they planning to do with it?”
“They don’t know what to do. That’s why they called me. Right now they’re just examining it.”
“But why would they call CIA instead of the Navy?”
“The Commander down there knows me and he knows my background.”
“Then they suspect it’s extra-terrestrial?”
“The Commander does. He wanted to get my opinion before he opened a can of worms. I’m glad he did.”
“What did you tell him, Tom?”
“I told him to get the thing crated up, but I haven’t told him where to ship it. I wanted to talk to you about it first.”
“Does this mean we’re getting a second chance?” asked the General.
“Whoa! Let’s just take it a step at a time, Tony. Will you handle the investigation for me?”
“Of course I will! If it turns out to be what we’re thinking, I want to take it all the way this time. I don’t want any pompous bureaucrats shutting us down again.”
“I knew I could count on you, General. You and I are the only ones left who know the whole truth. When can you get started?”
“Right away!”
.

This is for Ronnie, Arnie, and the crazy crew.

Do you remember any of this? (For all you other folks, please disregard this nonsense.)


Condensation of a Lifetime – Part I

I was talking with a friend over coffee one day
Just to see what things he had to say
I paid the waitress and he kept the change
He said, “Our lives have been mighty strange”
I looked at the clock, it said a quarter to four
My thoughts were drifting to years before…

“Turn on the light” some voice was squawking
I looked around to see who was talking
I was staring in the face of a big black cat
He said “Cats talking ain’t where it’s at”

We were sitting feeling mighty bored
So we decided to sleep out back in the Ford
My friend locked me out; he couldn’t be no meaner
So I spent the night singing songs to Toby Weiner

Went looking for girls and we had no luck
So we went to sleep in the delivery truck
A cop started knocking on the back door pane
He said “You guys queer, or just insane?”

I was dozing off in the front lawn chair
And Sheryl fired a gun in my ear
I hit her once and she kicked my spine
So I pushed her over a “For Sale” sign

Ronnie’s cycle wouldn’t start when it was new
So we pushed it down the street for an hour or two
We were sweating by the gallon and dying from chokin’
When Ronnie discovered the kill switch was broken

I was talking to a girl I didn’t know
She bit my finger and wouldn’t let go
She wouldn’t open up no matter what I said
So I picked up a cue stick and hit her on the head

I was laying for a guy I didn’t like
And I knocked him off his two-wheeled bike
I laughed and told him “That’s how it goes”
And he turned around and broke my nose

April 1969
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Remi Ann

Remi, this is just for you.
This was written when I was serving in Germany. Remi and Ronnie were an item back then (now married for many, many years) and she was somewhat left to fend for herself when the gang (a.k.a. Ronnie, Eddie, Arnie, and me) were split apart due to a minor conflict in Vietnam at the time. Remi always wanted to frolic. This poem was written in an attempt to cheer her up when she was feeling lonely.


Remi Ann

Remember frolicking in the park
A little girl without a care
Remember having fun ‘til dark
Top down and driving everywhere

A little girl who brought a smile
To anyone who passed her by
She helped put happiness in style
And caught the eye of every guy

When you felt blue she was right there
To cheer you up and make you sing
With big green eyes and soft brown hair
Sweet Remi Ann’s a touch of Spring

One in a million she must be
Her glow is brighter than a star
Oh Remi Ann dear can’t you see
You’re perfect just the way you are

Steven Pein
20 November 1967
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