Hard Times

Times were hard, but he rode the rails
The train moving as he leapt on
All aboard for points unknown
But this land was his land coast-to-coast
Brief stops at drifter camps along the way
Just in time for a bowl of beans
And the fellowship of those in need
With their countless stories of survival
He says to pass the Red Eye one last time
Before it's time once more to hit the tracks

He spots Maisie's near the final stop
A cat house with a cut-rate price
He says he doesn't have a dime
Noting their sign asserting "No Free Rides"
The ladies were rough but could be kind
To a traveler so long out of luck
But his looks and charm, his gift of gab
Assured a place in each's bed
And a roof above his weary head
The jobs he did proved fully odd
But he became their confidant
And a pampered king when times were hard.

Based on a detour taken by a relative during the Great Depression