Billy reunited with Bobby- Part 3

Billy saw the big trash can marked recycling

If he went in there it was certain death

Broken into pieces before carrying off to be melted down

He felt a hand grab his neck and he knew it was all over

Bobby shouted be brave Billy who saw his whole life flash before him

Billy recalled all the happy times laying in a wine rack and making friends

He remembered being served at birthday parties and anniversaries 

He closed his eyes when he was just about to be dropped into recycling

Suddenly a voice yelled that is only for the broken glass 

Billy was soon back in the crate next to Bobby 

That was a close call whispered Bobby but Billy did not reply

He was overcome by the emotion of having his life spared

Soon the crate was stacked with other crates and speeding to the local vineyard

It was a short journey in the back of a pickup truck

Bobby asked Billy what the vineyard was like

He wanted to know if was similar to his Bordeaux home

I am afraid this is a lot more rustic than you are used to said Billy

This place is nothing like your French chateau

Its a converted barn and everything is done with volunteers by hand 

The truck pulled into the yard and Bobby scowled this place is a redneck dump

This is not fit for us prestigious French Bordeaux bottles he announced

He was stirring up his compatriots and urging them to escape with him

Billy and the other local wine bottles started laughing

Its a long walk from Virginia to the East Coast they chuckled

Oh and good luck crossing the Atlantic

Here take a cork and float yourself back to France

The Bordeaux bottles formed an escape committee and held meetings in French

Billy tried to convince Bobby his plans were doomed but he would not listen

Their crate was placed on a table in the barn and the big doors were closed

Bobby told Billy his team was ready to head back to France

Billy noted that Bobby suddenly had a much stronger French accent

You will never make it to the coast talking like that said Billy

And your French labels are a dead giveaway

Bobby jumped out of the crate and picked up a pile of local labels from another table

Handing them out to his Bordeaux crew as their disguise

They crudely stuck the new tables over their old French labels in readiness

They lined up alongside the door and waited for the signal from Bobby

It was a long cool night of waiting but eventually the door started to open

On y vas screamed Bobby as his compatriots yelled Vive la France

Billy shook his head in disbelief at this foolish escapade

The big door slid open and sent all the Bordeaux bottles spinning

They had forgotten it was a sliding door

Three men wearing balaclavas entered the barn and started grabbing cases of full wine

They stacked all the cases in a van parked outside

I think we are witnessing a robbery whispered Billy

Billy reunited with Bobby – Part 2

Billy and Bobby were chatting away

They paused when the servers came in

More empty bottles were added to the crate

Bobby warmly greeted his fellow Bordeaux bottles

They outnumbered the local vineyard by two to one

Billy made fun of the Bordeaux crowd

Saying they will all lose their fancy labels soon

When they get filled with the local wine

The dinner party ended and the kitchen staff cleaned up

Soon all the staff had gone and the house went quiet

The crate of empty bottles started to talk

They all knew each other from the wine cellar

Now they were empty it was time to party

A few of the bottles raided the fridge for leftovers

While Billy and Bobby looted the drinks cabinet

They laid all the food on the kitchen table

While chugging shots of the finest malt whisky

Oh my said Bobby this stuff is really powerful

Be careful said Billy you are only used to drinking wine

Bobby ignored his advice and was soon totally hammered

They devoured all the leftovers and demolished the whisky

Somebody turned on the radio and the dancing started

They danced on the chairs and on the counter tops

It got crowded when they all danced on the table

One of the Claret bottles started to break dance

He was spinning and doing back flips

All the other bottles watched from the edge of the table

Everybody was clapping to the music and laughing

A Bordeaux bottle lost his balance and fell from the table

Crashing onto the kitchen floor and breaking

Somebody turned the music off and they all went quiet

The poor old Bordeaux bottle was now just chards

One of the bottles started to weep

Everybody back in the crate now yelled Billy

I can hear footsteps on the stairs

The kitchen door opened and a man in pajamas went to the fridge

He never even noticed the broken glass on the floor

Luckily he was wearing slippers and did not cut himself

He left soon after guzzling a carton of milk

The empty wine bottles all slept in a drunken stupor 

Only to be rudely awoken the next morning

The kitchen staff were clearing up the mess

Complaining about the master of the house and his midnight feasts

Somebody picked up the crate of empty wine bottles

Where are we going now asked Billy

Bobby was afraid to answer as he feared they were all heading to the trash

Billy reunited with Bobby- Part 1

Billy the wine bottle of slept in a rack

He was undisturbed for many years

Maturing in a cool dark cellar

He got to know so well all the other wine bottles

They chatted for hours on end in the cellar

Telling stories about where they came from

How the warm sun shone on their grapes

Who happily gave up their juices to make fine wine

On one late afternoon all the bottles were napping

Billy woke to the sound of footsteps

There is somebody coming he warned the others

Billy knew there were only two possibilities

Either new wine was arriving

Or somebody would be taken away to be drank

Billy had seen many of his old friends carried off

The bottles stopped chatting as the footsteps got closer 

Billy closed his eyes hoping that he would be chosen

Suddenly he felt a hand around his neck

He was pulled off the rack with a jerk

The other bottles whispered good luck Billy

Billy was excited about the prospect of being drank

He was dusted off before his cork was pulled

Placed on a large table to breathe

He could smell the gourmet food close to him

He looked around the table at the smiling faces

A large dinner party with eight couples

The ladies looked stunning in their fine dresses

All the men wore dinner jackets

This was going to be fun thought Billy

Billy was soon on his side again as his wine was poured

He listened to the speeches and the applause

Watched them all eat delicious food as his wine was sipped

He was so honored to add to the pleasure of the group

Listening intensely to their fascinating conversations

More of his wine was poured into a glass

Billy felt empty inside

Sudden he was grabbed off the table

Taken into the kitchen by a server

She had very rough hands noted Billy

She placed Billy in a large crate with the other empty bottles

They would stay there until it was time for rebottling at the vineyard 

Billy recognized his old friend Bobby Bordeaux and they started chatting

Life is sweet said Billy with a smug sigh

Bobby grinned and replied and so is your wine Billy

……….to be continued………..

I am a part time hedonist and a full time optimist

Happiness is a state we all strive for

The pursuit of happiness can be rewarding in itself

Working hard towards your goals

Knowing there will be pleasurable rewards along the way

I do enjoy those simple moments in time like a glass of wine or a fine meal

Or simply watching the sunrise

Or riding my bike and enjoying the view

Or writing a poem

Some folks are too busy to enjoy the simple things

Gulping down coffee while on the phone as they drive to work

If they could take away time pressures and work interruptions

They could get pleasure from simply making the morning coffee

Smelling those wonderful aromas and anticipating the taste

Savoring the flavor while marveling at a beautiful sunrise

At what point does this all become hedonistic

Is there a sliding scale of hedonism that ends in constant pleasure addiction

If so where would you put yourself on that scale

Would constant hedonism become boring?

Perhaps we all need periods of strife, pain and despair in our lives

For they make us appreciate even more the gifts of good health and happiness

I try to stay focussed during moments of pleasure

Telling myself to remember how good it is

Reminding myself of how fortunate I am

Hoping that it will last for a long time

Always striving to share that happy moment with somebody

Perhaps bringing someone a little unexpected joy

If for some reason I cannot enjoy a particular moment in time

Then I tell myself it won’t be long before I can again

I am a part time hedonist

And a full time optimist

if you are feeling listless

If you are feeling listless

Make yourself a list

A list of things to do

A list of things to buy

A list of places to go

A list of people to see

A list of things to fix around your home

A list of what you miss most

A list of all your regrets

A list of all the people you have loved

A list of all the people you have hurt

A list of all the people you have lost

A list of all the people who bring you down

A list of all the people you admire

A list of all the people you lust for

A list of all the clever people you know

A list of all the dumb people you wish you had never met

A list of your favorite songs

A list of all the songs you hate

A list of the best TV shows to watch

A list of books you must read

A list of things to pack for your trip

A list of all the things you forgot to take on that trip

A list of all the things you should never have taken on that trip

A list of all the mistakes you made on that trip

A list of all the funny things that happened on that trip

A list of all the random thoughts you had yesterday

A list of all the swear words you use when things are going bad

A list of the languages you want to learn

A list of all the language classes you started but never finished

A list of the times you said nothing instead of apologizing

A list of 

A list of every list you ever wrote

A list of your list lists

Are you still feeling listless?

Know your onions and hit the nail on the head

How many turns to make a good spin

One too many and big trouble you are in

On the wagon just have one for the road

Stay the course and lighten your load

Sold down the river or left on the shelf

On the straight and narrow you rediscover yourself

If you miss the boat just hit the sack

So far so good I got your back

Under the weather and bent out of shape

By the skin of your teeth its a narrow escape

Speak of the devil its a piece of cake

It might be the last straw if you make another mistake

I saw the elephant in the room straight from the horses mouth

Due to the snowball effect it can quickly all go south

If you burn your bridges you might go down in flames

Just weather the storm and stake your claim

Under the weather its always darkest before dawn

Is that checkmate or just another pawn

Time is money like riding a bike

Run like the wind or get your second wind if you like

It takes two to tango like peas in a pod

Put on your bravest face when you face the firing squad

Just wing it

when it looks really bad

try to hold on

just wing it

its your karaoke song

but you forgot the words

just wing it

making her a romantic dinner

you lost the recipe

just wing it

now its all going south

try to make things better

just wing it

at the wedding  breakfast

they ask you to speak

just wing it

you got the job

no idea what they expect

just wing it

if you are really not sure

and you need to move on

just wing it

your phone just died

no more sat nav

just wing it

life can be tough

so many decisions to make

just wing it

Are you able to enable the memory of Mable

Shopping in Coral Gable

With her best friend Mable

She sticks to a strict timetable

Lingering in the aisle marked vegetable

Enquiring if its available

Carefully reading the label

Verifying it is sustainable

Is the packaging totally impermeable

Did the shipment have a green waybill

Checks the ingredients are stable

Buys as much as she is able

It will go well with the everything bagel

Serves it on her table

Uses her antique ladle

With the invaluable appraisal

That she found in a stable

Hidden behind some old cable

Its true its not an old fable

You can verify with Mabel

Even if she is a bit unstable

Her memory you can enable

By stimulating her nerve that is vagal