Here’s a song of mine to honor the life of Jdimytai Damour, who I call “The Martyr of Black Friday.”

If you don’t know his story, click here to read my blog about it.

It’s a tough story, to be sure. But as Black Friday approaches, I hope and pray you will consider honoring his life, and the life of all those who work in retail. Buy local. Buy gifts of real meaning.

And remember, nobody’s supposed to die because of any of this.

The Martyr of Black Friday
Two thousand souls out in the cold
With the turkey on their breath
Thankful but still wanting more
On a night of life and death.

The big man working for the store
Was from a tiny Haitian town
Nobody saw him on the floor
After he went down.

Jdimytai, Jdimytai*
I think of you, I still cry
They sold their souls so they could buy
And no one stopped to wonder why,
Jdimytai.

Two thousand years since Mary sang
Her revolution song
Where: “The poor are lifted from their pain.”
“The rich are all but gone.”

But here and now the poor still find
They’re often out of luck
So they push it in those long, long lines
Just to save a buck.

Jdimytai, Jdimytai*
I think of you, I still cry
They sell their souls so they can buy
And no one stops to wonder why,
Jdimytai.

The Martyr of Black Friday
Sacrificed for all our sins
For Flatscreens and for Blu-rays
And toys stacked up in bins.

And all to mark a birthday
Where there was no room or inn
When they laid him in the soft hay
And shepherds had no gifts to lend.

Jdimytai, Jdimytai*
I think of you, I still cry
We sell our souls so we can buy
And we never stop to wonder why,
Jdimytai.
Jdimytai.
Jdimytai.
Words and Music by Eric Folkerth ©2011. All Rights Reserved.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

OK. So, maybe now I’m done with this story?
I told this to The Judge a moment ago, and she replied, “Maybe the story’s not done with you.”

Damn.

* From my five trips to Haiti, I am aware that the Creole pronunciation of his name is actually closer to “Jimmy-Tree.” I have taken some artistic license here, and beg the forgiveness of everyone.

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