…


That very night, three years before
He’d taken his last life
Something snapped inside of him
when she at his hands died

He’d taken several lives since then
some old, some fair of face
And for some reason, unknown to him
he kept their license plates

But she was unlike all the rest
she didn’t kick and scream
She wept and said she’d finally rest
just like she’d always dreamed


The rain tonight did drive to him
the husband of his niece
Who was a lazy sack of man
who worked for the police

The power had gone out hours ago
a candle light did gleam
Illuminating the young man’s face
and the badge upon his sleeve


“Dear Uncle, how are you tonight”
as he flipped on a light to see
I’m wondering if I could stop in just to
get a bite to eat”

“It’s raining cats and dogs out there,
it’s empty in the streets
There’ll be no work for me tonight
I’d love to warm my feet”


He sat upon a worn out piece of 1973
furniture of corduroy
the color faded green

He grabbed up the remote control
his fingers dripping grease
And flipped the channels aimlessly
cold chicken in the crease

Of his grey lips, and on his right
a dusty table stood
a beer all clad in aluminum
did sweat hard as it could


Not clever, no not smart at all
this officer of peace
He did recall a tale once told him
while out on the beat

An old man, who did kill at will
who when he left the scene
did keep his victim’s license plates
otherwise left it clean

This man was never caught of course
not much effort was put forth
His victims all had illnesses
that could sure not be cured


The old man sat in worn out clothes
his hands upon his knees
His eyes they just stared straight ahead
and almost never blinked

He did not speak a word aloud
nor answer this husband of his niece
In fact he had not spoken much in years
in almost three

This silence was not new to his nephew
who helped himself to eat
Up ‘til now he’d never seen his uncle do
what he did not need


But presently he did clear his throat,
and shifted in his seat
He pointed and in a startling voice said
“Look my boy and see”


The nephew did then turn to see
the wall just at his rear
And looking up did clearly see
what he had seen for years

Seventeen old license plates
from several nearby states
But never had he seen them as
those victim license plates

This startled him, and though he had
just then begun to chew
He swallowed hard and lodged into his
windpipe a wad of food


He flailed a bit but in short time
did fall out on the floor
His uncle sat back, closed his eyes
and spoke again no more.

…