running on empty

Running on empty, bout 12 months ago, 2 houses down the alley from us caught a drive by

Bout 9 months ago, dude left his girlfriend to go back to his wife, girlfriend didn’t appreciate it, lit their house on fire, 3 houses up and across from us

Bout six months ago, round thanksgiving, we were outta town, good vaca, came back an realized both of our pitsols were missing from our house, our house that only family had access too

Bout 3 months ago, sister got her car broke into, they left a note, ISIS was here

Last week they tore down the burnt out house, now a lot of hay till the grass grows

Today, wife was home, two young men tried to force open the window on the alley side, she looked at the window and they ran up the alley, one with a red hoodie, both wearing jeans, sagging, running past the lot of grass

I always though that even if I won the lottery I would stay here, in the neighborhood I once fell in love with.  I realize now why when people to start making it, they have to leave, even people who give, take away, I had always judged famous people for leaving their digs when they made it bigs.  I see.  Even if you don’t make it, someone wants your TV, your jewelry even your life 

Just got our taxes done and got done in.  Wife finally got permanent disability last year and finally got a back payment after waiting 3 years, found out the government need that tax money, the government giveth and the government taketh away 

Couple weeks ago gotta letter from local tax agency, they did an audit and seen I earned big monies in 2012 and I’m gonna need to pay taxes on that, deployed to the great big sand box for 6 months on behalf of our great country, yep, gonna need to pay taxes on that, the government giveth and the government taketh away

Bout 2 months ago, on Library street, Amelia lost her life in the house she grew up in, 93 years old, they tied her up and took her things

Bout a year ago, started a new job, new opportunity, boss don’t think I’m doin good enough to get the promotion, 15 months later and all I can do is keep trying

Bout ten years ago, my in-laws, getting ready for a good retirement had their house fixed up, contractor fixed their own pockets, screwed up their house, cool, sue the contractors, lawyer got monies, contractor don’t show up to court, contractor gets a judgment put against them, contractor change they name and disappear, in-laws don’t get no money, struggling to keep up a house, can’t sell, too much of a loss

Tomorrow, the house security people gonna come out to the house, they gonna install cameras this, live feed that and we can see it on our cellphones stuff, they gonna get their monies, erybody gonna get there monies, cept us, we wont be able to sell this house, the money we have put into it, the retirement we trying to achieve, I’m running on empty, running on this treadmill, someone always giving and someone always taking away