There was always someone in town

who stood out from the crowd

he was the Town Character

most small towns used to have them

until TV came along

and made everyone the same

but back in the day

there was always one person in town

who was a character

known for his long hair or odd dress

his weird opinions or non-conformity

he was they guy who would not fit in

he was controversial

he was peculiar

he was the butt of jokes

by those who knew propriety

and played by the rules

it is human nature

to pick on someone

and put them down

it makes us feel so much smarter

and gives us great confidence

to know there is someone

lower on the ladder

we elevate ourselves by putting others down

we think this makes us superior

but there is one point we fail to recognize

it was the town character

who gave the town its character

in the first place.