He wants to be one of the lads
and although football bores him to tears
he watches all the live games on TV
so he can join in the talk with his friends.
He hates the taste of lager
but he downs pint after fizzy pint,
enviously eyeing the old man in the flat cap
as he sips his pint of real ale.
He listens to loud lairy rock music
with all its swagger and machismo
but classical music speaks to him
in ways he can\'t explain.
He refers to his local Indian restaurant
as the curry-house and always orders
the hottest dish on the menu
even though he\'ll suffer the next day.
He wants to be one of the lads,
he ticks the boxes and wears all the brands
but inside there\'s a hollow emptiness
he finds it best not to dwell on.