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am had sold all his grass for the night and he walked into the drugstore to buy more painkillers for his knee. The old man at the drug counter gave Sam a good looking over after he handed him his note for drugs. 
  "I'm sorry I can't fill this, you just had this prescription filled 2 days ago. It should of lasted 2 weeks not 2 days." Sam tried to explain but the druggist wouldn't buy his story. 

  Sam limped to the front of the store, past the guy buying a pack of Camels. "Hey buddy wait outside, I think I can help you out." said the stranger. 
  Sam waited anxiously in the drugstore parking lot. 
  The red headed stranger came over and asked Sam "Partner I've got some stuff that will take care of your pain, interested?" 
  Sam said yes and the worked out a deal, 10 little toy store balloons of heroin for $100. The man also gave Sam a hypodermic needle. 
  Sam went back to his room, alone, and fixed a balloon. As the gold rolled through his veins, Sam saw his life flash before his eyes and the room smelt just like death. 

  They found Sam dead 3 days later. 

  Lydia stood at the grave side with James Lewis and Barbara in her arms, it was on the local heroes hill, they played his last request, "A fucking train song," thought Lydia. 
  Just before they lowered the casket into that cold, cold ground Lydia took one red rose from atop the coffin and put it in her bible, pressed between the holy alphabet. 
  The soldier gave Lydia the neatly folded flag from the casket as she dropped a plastic flag decal Sam had once sold at the garage into grave,  "I hope this gets you to heaven." she whispered.

Lydia wondered about the missing years as tears rolled down her cheeks as they walked away from the grave.

~ THE END ~

Thank you to John Prine and all his friends, my Kimmy, Reeda and all the Prinesters out there.
~ Leonard Hogg aka Old Hippie

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