I must have been a clear, worm, starry night
Because he was walking his date home
When it happened
I bet they were holding hands
Sweaty palms
Casually self conscious “is he going to kiss me?” summer time love
Maybe they’d gone bowling,
She’d thrown gutter balls so he wouldn’t be embarrassed that she was better than him
And he’d acted like he’d decided to go with funny instead of smooth
They’d gone to the arcade next store
(He’d had to convince her they weren’t to old)
And they’d played the game where you hit the circles
When they light up
And maybe it was their nerves,
Or maybe it was excitement
But they kept hitting the air hockey puck off the table
They got their pictures take in the photo booth
And even though he’d been expecting it
He blushed when she kissed his cheek,
And they walked up to the ticket exchange counter
Snickering like two drunkards and,
Smiling,
Asked for one hundred and twelve tootsie roles
I don’t know why they jumped out of the darkness that night
And slit his throat as he walked her home,
I only caught the end of the news report
I didn’t even get his name
He could have been my brother,
But tomorrow it won’t matter