By Kwesi BISSUE
On the day that bad guy
Met that strong guy
Oh what a lesson he learned!
A lesson…that every road has a turn
II
On a walk along a crowded city sidewalk
One good guy was just minding his own business
One bad guy walked opposite on the sidewalk
Looking for a weakling to put in a mess
Unexpectedly there was a sound of clashing bodies
So hard on the good guy he lost his balance
And for a moment lost his temper
For another moment expected to hear an apology
And still for another moment expected to see a remorseful guy
Too bad, the bad guy enjoyed the moment
He hurled insults and threatened assault
Assault, instead of rendering an apology
Too good for the bad guy to see someone sulk in pain
Too bad for the bad guy to laugh at someone’s pain
When the good guy gauged his height and size
And weighed his chances of saving his life
He knew it would be bad business to tackle the bad guy in a fray
The bad guy had his way this day
III
Waiting in a queue at a shopping mall pay-point
One good guy was minding to pay for his groceries
One bad guy cut right in front of the good guy
Pushing to pay for a pack of cigar and a bottle of whiskey
So hard he pushed, the good guy fell backwards
Onlookers saw it all
But none had the balls
No balls to tell the bad guy to wait for his turn
No balls!
Some onlookers knew him as a thug
A thug, who had a couple of thugs lurk in the shadows…as his backup
Onlookers cautioned good guy to keep his distance
To nip the thuggery in the bud
To deny the ruffian a bad chance
When the bad guy got to the counter
The cashier pushed so angrily at the bad guy
Pushed his cigar and whiskey aside
Bad guy pushed back so violently…back to the front
Pushed with a throaty, croaky retort
“If you don’t need my bucks
I just walk away with your stuff”
The cashier chickened out at the threat of force
She served the bad guy just to send him away
He and his backup of thugs
The bad guy had his way this day
IV
A good guy sat alone over a couple of drinks
Minding his own business…drinking
Three rowdy men walked in
They deliberately sat at a table so close
Just to create trouble up close
Just to take away his peace of mind
Just because he appeared too quiet…too peaceful
One bad guy of the rowdy trio
Teased the good guy to a fight
Wanting to raise a sore sight
Wanting to prove the might of the trio
The good guy continued to mind his business
He drank on
But the bad guy teased further on
Then the lonely good guy called his bluff
He beat the bad guy to pulp
The remaining lot of the rowdy trio he dared
Teasing them to a fight
They stood dazed
Stood rooted without bringing about a bout
They feared to be roundly routed
Wondering what kind of stuff
…the lonely man was made of
V
He was an ex-soldier who knew his martial arts
He knew when to act
He was in no mood at all to allow anyone to start a brawl
Not to allow the bad guy of the rowdy trio
To get away with his rowdy nonsense
No!
Not in his presence
VI
One day that bad guy
Met that tough guy
And oh!
What a bitter lesson he learned
What a lesson!
That every road has a sure turn
