Was that bottle of tequila worth it, on that warm February night Who gave you the power, who gave you the right Jasper trusted in you Tommie, to get him safely back at home All he got for his trust was your little red Fiero thrust directly through his heart

As my son lay in your crushed car, fighting for his last sweet ounce of breath Did you once think about him as they were administering your alcohol blood test Jasper was only fifteen, he just wanted to hang out He didn't yet know what life was all about

He found out the hard way, the hardest way there is You took my son away from me Tommie, I'm trying to forgive Tommie, Russ and Cary, I wished I'd never heard of you You played a part in the death of my son, we know that fact is true You can plead your case to the courts, you can hide behind the law But we all know what happened on that warm February night You bought liquor for our children, but you didn't kill them all The drunk driver who drank that liquor is still left on this earth No one knows why his life was spared, only God knows the complete truth I'll agree these laws in Arkansas desperately need to be changed But it's too late for my precious son Jasper, he's forever cold and alone in his grave How can the court let you Tommie, the drunk driver, get by with just 30 days Oh Tommie what were you thinking, drinking Tequila and getting behind the wheel Did you once stop to remember that my child looked up to you He didn't think you would be so thoughtless as to kill Are your dreams turned into nightmares, can you still see Jasper's face All twisted up with terror, as he held onto the dashboard while you were racing that death race Who gave you the right to take my Jaspers life into your hands I never got the chance to say goodbye, I'll never see his smiling face again Jasper thought of you as a friend, he even took up for you when other's called you "Nerd" Little did he know that you would later take his life With the help from a bottle of tequila on that warm February night He didn't know any better, I raised him to be everybody's friend Maybe I was wrong in doing that, because he trusted you until the end So Tommie was that bottle of tequila worth that much to you It wasn't worth it to Jasper, he trusted you through and through You took his life for granted as you took away his rights Jasper's hands were pried off your dashboard, while he was fighting for his life Was that bottle of tequila worth it, do you yet feel any remorse I can still see you laughing while we were sitting there in court I couldn't see what was funny, you took Jaspers life away I won't see him again until Judgement Day That's the day I hope you will be able to finally see the light You'll have to tell Jasper why you carelessly took his life You'll explain to our Savior the where's, the when's, the why's I don't think you'll still be laughing, maybe then he'll get a fair trial You have a second chance Tommie, one that Jasper didn't have I hope you don't kill anyone else, I have my doubts about that So Tommie while your drinking, please don't get behind that wheel I still have my family here, I don't want to see them killed You won't get another chance like this, it's once in a lifetime deal The next time that this happens, I believe you'll go straight to hell I'll end this poem with a sad note, I think Jasper would have wanted me to say "Please don't drink & drive because it took my life away"

Written by Susie Cross December 24, 1999 With heartache and pain Jasper Lives On