Peer Pressure

In High School

Peer Pressure

wasn’t even an issue

I never tried drugs

I never smoked a cigarette

and

the only time that I tried alcohol

in High School

was when a little man

thought he would be cool

if he gave a couple of kids

a shot of whiskey at a wedding

its different as an adult

the peer pressure

isn’t about being cool anymore

it’s about basic survival

As an adult

It starts to become an issue

of religion

of political parties

or of the length of your hair

When I first moved here

I hid who I was

Because it was about survival

The dirty looks from the older people

The dirty looks at the hardware store

The need for a job

I cut my hair

And I hid that I wasn’t a Christian

But I am anchored now

I have a secure life

If people don’t want to be around me

Because I have long hair

Or because I have a beard

Or because I’m not Christian

I don’t care

I will not cave to peer pressure

I’ve never been cool

I’ve never fit in

And if being cool and fitting in

means that I have to hurt people

or hate gay people

then consider me totally uncool

I don’t want to be part of your group

I don’t want to be part of your club

And I don’t want your freekin job

And I don’t want to shop

at your store either

I just spent $2000

On plywood

2x4’s

And sheet metal

And I did it in a different town

So you didn’t have to

Deal with my long hair

Funny thing is

The guy in Batesville

That I handed the $2000 to

Didn’t seem to mind my hair at all

I don’t cave

to

peer pressure

If I didn’t cave in

For the fun stuff

In High School

then

Why the hell

would I cave in

to make you a profit