African Friend
Unlikely Bonds of Friendship
Lyrics
Disembarking at Duvalier Airport
Arriving at Duvalier Airport
Seeking transportation to town
Looking for transportation to town
As the purple ink dried on his passport
His passport freshly stamped with purple ink
He could still feel the eyes look around
Feeling observed by others
"Messieur ou est le casino?"
Asking the cab driver in French about the casino
He spoke to the cabbie and smiled
Speaking to the cabbie and smiling
The driver replied "Vieux ou noveaux?"
The driver asking if he prefers an old or new casino
As he motioned the dark man inside.
Motioning the dark man (the narrator) to get into the cab
Business in Aruba concluded
Concluding business in Aruba
He now had a little money to spend
Having some money to spend
That's how I came to meet my African friend
Introduction of the African friend
We were rollin' the bones several hours
Gambling for several hours
Conversing as most gamblers do
Engaging in conversation typical of gamblers
We were calling on all of our powers
Using their skills and luck to endure the night
Hoping to see the night through.
Hoping to continue the night
But not approving at all of our winning
The pit boss disapproving of their winnings
The pit boss he tugged at his sleeve
The pit boss signaling the narrator
Through the whole thing my new friend was grinning
The African friend grinning during the situation
When he motioned it's time we should leave.
Motioning that it's time to leave
With our night at the tables behind us
Leaving the tables behind
We were ready just to do it again
Ready to gamble again
That's when I came to know my African Friend
The narrator getting to know the African friend better
But I woke up on the steps of a whorehouse
Waking up on the steps of a whorehouse
Soldier told me I' better leave
A soldier advising the narrator to leave
As I stumbled to find me a taxi
Trying to find a taxi
I saw a note pinned to my sleeve.
Finding a note pinned to the sleeve
"It was a pleasure and a hell of an evening
The note expressing the pleasure of the evening
It was truly our night to win
Acknowledging it as a night to win
But the authorities insist on my leaving
Mentioning the authorities insisting on leaving
Take care, my American friend."
Bidding farewell, calling the narrator an American friend
With my weekend at Haiti concluded
Concluding the weekend in Haiti
I now had a little money to spend
Having more money to spend
That's when I came to meet my African friend
Meeting another good friend, presumably the African friend
That's how I came to know another good friend.
Reflecting on how the narrator came to know the African friend
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