Transitions

I left with the clothes on my back. I left the kids in the house and took the money. I left the keys in the ignition and caught a ride. I left her crying at the airport. I left but I figured I'd return. I left the bags under the back steps. I left rotten milk in the fridge. I left when the going got tough. I left as the sun sank beneath the waves. I left for promises I knew he couldn't keep. I left and never looked back.

He got up when he heard the screams. He got up for a drink in the middle of the night. He got up to no good after his wife left him. He got up to take the bus to the airport. He got up for bacon but not for eggs. He got up and paced in the moonlight. He got up early but she was gone.

We stayed for the whole show. We stayed until it got weird. We stayed to clean up. We stayed on the phone and listened. We stayed even though we knew. We stayed because life is beautiful. We stayed for the beer and the coke, and because Mel told us to. We stayed close by just in case. We stayed when no one else would.