Acordar de ressaca num Domingo destes pode ter as suas vantagens.
A boca sabe-me ao que julgo ser o sabor da cortiça e a cabeça está com pouca paciência. Voltou a chover. O microondas recusa-se a abrir a porta e não me apetece ferver água para fazer café. Condições ideais, julgo, para me atirar ao universo de Tom Waits e tentar começar a construir o que poderá vir a ser um espectáculo de teatro.
As pessoas de que Waits fala nas suas canções são o que se decidiu chamar no folclore americano de lowlife. Os freaks, os vagabundos, os corruptos, os assassinos, as putas e os seus amantes - não clientes - os apaixonados. Se alguém lhes podia dar vida e a merecida atenção; torná-los muito mais humanos do que nós costumamos fazer, esse alguém só podia ser Tom Waits. Poderá ser por aí. Waits é uma súmula de todos eles e uma verdadeira personagem por si só.
Mas fazia-me bem um café.
E não percebo do que se riem as pessoas na assistência...



hey Charley I'm pregnant
and living on 9-th street
right above a dirty bookstore
off Cuclid avenue
and I stopped taking dope
and I quit drinking whiskey
and my old man plays the trombone
and works out at the track.

and he says that he loves me
even though its not his baby
and he says that he'll raise him up
like he would his own son
and he gave me a ring
that was worn by his mother
and he takes me out dancin
every saturday nite.

and hey Charley I think about you
everytime I pass a fillin' station
on account of all the grease
you used to wear in your hair
and I still have that record
of little Anthony & the Imperials
but someone stole my record player
how do you like that?

hey Charley I almost went crazy
after Mario got busted
so I went back to Omaha to
live with my folks
but everyone I used to know
was either dead or in prison
so I came back in Minneapolis
this time I think I'm gonna stay.

hey Charley I think I'm happy
for the first time since my accident
and I wish I had all the money
that we used to spend on dope
I'd buy me a used car lot
and I wouldn't sell any of em
I'd just drive a different car
every day dependin on how
I feel.

hey Charley
for chrissakes
do you want to know
the truth of it?
I don't have a husband
he don't play the trombone
and I need to borrow money
to pay this lawyer
and Charley, hey
I'll be eligible for parole
come valentines day.