The Pocket Knife

by Brian Harper

On leave in Tokyo for one week.
With a mate from my unit, Phil Luoni,
Who lived in the Taumarunui area at that time (Okahukura).

Phil and I were waiting to go on a City Tour.
Time to wait so we went into an American Army Canteen.
MPs frisked us for possible weapons.

When we came out to board our tour bus,
A group of GIs was coming in.
MPs frisked them and found one with a pocket knife.
He was told he couldn't take it into the Canteen.

As I left he said to me ...
Here, Guy, Take this ...
No good to me here.

So Phil and I went on a very extensive tour of Tokyo.
Arriving back near Ebisu (our leave centre),
Nature's demands caught me so I went into one of the street toilets.

OKAY! Guess who was also in there?
The same GI who had unloaded his pocket knife on to me,
And probably thought he would never see it again.

P.S. I gave it back (naturally). We shook hands and said Hooray.

Brian Harper, 2001