Moving Out- For the Wench

This is my blog entry in The Wench's writing challenge. You're supposed to choose a song and write a story around it- expand on what is going on in the song. Yes I'm a day late getting it written so I know I won't get as high a grade as I could but it seemed like too much fun to pass up... so, here it goes!

<http://youtube.com/watch?v=8Vrd8KCtylU>

Anthony is 18 years old, just graduated from high school, and can't figure out what to do with the rest of his life. Should he go to college like Mama Leone wants, or become a cop like his dad was? Oh, if only his father hadn't been killed, maybe he could give him some advice. But the only advice he seems to get is from his over-worked mother and Mama Leone, who at the moment is obsessed with moving to Hackensack, NJ. (Why anyone would move TO New Jersey is a wonder to him, but Mama Leone has always been a bit wacky.)

So Anthony is bagging groceries in the mornings and hanging out with his friends in the afternoons. You know working too hard can give you a heart attack, so he likes this part time gig. His mother wishes he could get a better job, partly so he would not have time to hang out with his friends so much and part so he could help her out more with the rent. But Anthony is trying to save up money to get out of this place before he stays here forever. He doesn't care much about moving up, just moving out.

He dreams of his life as he sweeps the sidewalk in front of the store. Who will he be? Will he become that cop, or some corporate schmuck in a suit and tie? Or will he still be here sweeping sidewalks forever? He spots Seargent O'Leary as he makes his morning rounds. The well pressed uniform fits well on his frame- the belt with his assorted tools of the trade makes him look more important, as does the badge on his chest. He walks tall and seems proud of his stature in the community. And he just bought a new Cadillac, too so life must be pretty good for the man.

What Anthony doesn't realize is that the good Seargent moonlights as a bartender at Mr. Cacciatori's down on Sullivan Street so that he can make enough money to buy that new car because a guy should have something nice once in his life, right? And that his highest hopes are to one day make Lieutenent so that he can finally get off the beat and out of the way of flying bullets so that one day, his wife doesn't have to support the family alone and get rid of the new Cadillac and take the bus.

He spots Anthony across the street and thinks of the life of a cop. How you never know what each call will bring. Will his oldest son have to sweep storefronts to support the family one day, or will he be free to go to college and hang out with is friends? Will Anthony ever have a new cadillac? Hopefully he'll grow up to be a corporate big wig and not follow in his old man's footsteps.

Anthony dreams of the day that he has more answers than questions...

Sgt. O'Leary dreams of the day that he has more answers than questions...