A long night's journey into day.

 I'm walking down a darkened street needing time to think

And stroll into a local pub to get myself a drink.

I amble up upon a stool and spy a cup of tips

The barkeep pours a glass of ale

I sip it through my lips.

I'd like to lift the glass to toast

But alas I have no hands

A life of woe to dwell upon

I am a puppet man.

My skin is ragged, worn out cloth

A mouth of cardboard stock

My eyes are naught but buttons sewn

You see I'm just a sock.

No one wants to be my friend

They fear there'll be reprise

The pain of living all alone

Brings tears to plastic eyes.

I order up another beer

I do the best I can

And wallow in my world of dreams

I am a puppet man.

So I pay the bill ( in itself a trick )

And venture out the door

To wander round on cobble stones

Like dust upon the floor.

For once I made the children laugh

As a clown upon a stage

But windows now reflect a face

That is frayed and pale with age.

So I make my way

Back to the box

To where it all began

And close the lid on wasted days

I am a puppet man. By Peter The Reet 1989

4	89	flushing	ny	record shop shopping
6	89	fort worth	tx	visit with t.reay
7	89	carlsbad	nm	postcard from carlsbad.. heading out to cal.
8	89	reno	nv	hiking in Zion park, lost $75 on slots in vegas, drove thru flash flood in desert, Off to visit Kathy Apple at nv state fair.
6	90	santa barbara	ca
6	90	jaxhites	ny	fred retired

The history after his leaving Alaska gets fuzzier for me. He traveled by car, his little Toyota sedan, to the Lower 48. He eventually wound up in Colorado for a while and spent some time at our friend Chip Stark's home in the mountains outside of Boulder. From what Chip has told me these were difficult times for Reet. He was trying to sort out where he was going to go, literally mentally, and emotionally following all of these huge changes in his life. - wayne binns

the reet, chip and craig - alaska to cal or bust

"lots asked...lots said..food to belly den i go to bed! love is all we need!...uncle vanya"

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