Hobo Jungle
Jon, I'm sure you know this poem, but my friend Alan asked me (over twenty years ago) to write it for his first book, A Beer Drinker's Companion. So here it is again. If it won't do I'll find another.
SEXTANT
I let the ancient liquid pass between my lips
And begin the gentle ascent towards hope:
As each ring of thin cloud descends,
As the damp rings collect in the rubbed wood,
My eyes moist at the long pull,
The barmaid more sumptuous
at each twice outstretched hand.
The hot, dry dust of noon
laying itself through the bent screen,
The overhead fan drumming low joy
to my temples,
The raging midnight tempest
flooding the panes
As the colored lines of neon
dance on the macadam,
The icy snap of the old door swinging open.
At each fresh cool pint
Like an ancient mariner
I hold my glass to the stars,
Yet each in our own way
Drinks from the hourglass,
And inexorably, it will empty.
Out into the bright heat,
Out into the black rain,
Out into the cutting cold,
My face turns to the sky.
And if with my pen
I could cut into this page,
Like a carved adage
In the darkest corner
Of an aged wood bar,
Among the palimpsest of markings
Read:
I went from hope to despair
Downing many pints of ale,
Now it's worse—I'm just here.
SEXTANT
I let the ancient liquid pass between my lips
And begin the gentle ascent towards hope:
As each ring of thin cloud descends,
As the damp rings collect in the rubbed wood,
My eyes moist at the long pull,
The barmaid more sumptuous
at each twice outstretched hand.
The hot, dry dust of noon
laying itself through the bent screen,
The overhead fan drumming low joy
to my temples,
The raging midnight tempest
flooding the panes
As the colored lines of neon
dance on the macadam,
The icy snap of the old door swinging open.
At each fresh cool pint
Like an ancient mariner
I hold my glass to the stars,
Yet each in our own way
Drinks from the hourglass,
And inexorably, it will empty.
Out into the bright heat,
Out into the black rain,
Out into the cutting cold,
My face turns to the sky.
And if with my pen
I could cut into this page,
Like a carved adage
In the darkest corner
Of an aged wood bar,
Among the palimpsest of markings
Read:
I went from hope to despair
Downing many pints of ale,
Now it's worse—I'm just here.
That a life will be spent gaining inches,
When this distance is read in miles.
When this distance is read in miles.
Multiple coupler engaging head for railroad car positioner
Document Type and Number: United States Patent 3942451
Link to this Page: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3942451.html
Abstract: There is provided, in a railroad car positioning apparatus of the general type shown and described in Reissue Patent No. Re. 27,300 dated Feb. 22, 1972, an improvement in the car positioner arm which is adapted to move between a pair of coupled railroad cars and into car pushing engagement with the cars centrally thereof. The improvement involves the provision, in combination, of force transferring means on the distal extremity of the car positioner arm for engaging a coupled coupler between a pair of coupled railroad cars, separate force transferring means also on the distal extremity of the car positioner arm for engaging an open coupler of at least one uncoupled railroad car, and means for shifting the two force transferring means for selectively disposing either of them in its operative, car-manipulating position and the other in a stored or inoperative position.
WTF?
Document Type and Number: United States Patent 3942451
Link to this Page: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3942451.html
Abstract: There is provided, in a railroad car positioning apparatus of the general type shown and described in Reissue Patent No. Re. 27,300 dated Feb. 22, 1972, an improvement in the car positioner arm which is adapted to move between a pair of coupled railroad cars and into car pushing engagement with the cars centrally thereof. The improvement involves the provision, in combination, of force transferring means on the distal extremity of the car positioner arm for engaging a coupled coupler between a pair of coupled railroad cars, separate force transferring means also on the distal extremity of the car positioner arm for engaging an open coupler of at least one uncoupled railroad car, and means for shifting the two force transferring means for selectively disposing either of them in its operative, car-manipulating position and the other in a stored or inoperative position.
WTF?
Running that red block Charlie.
LMAO 
Who can he sue?
Funny you should ask that!!! I have an "inside" connection to Loccolawyer and it appears he's going to start sueing obese-thong-wearing-train-wives, who's husbands spend hours in the basement engaging a coupled coupler between a pair of coupled railroad cars! Makes sense to me!!!
Running that red block Charlie.
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