And he brought his Tom Waits Albums.

And he made us listen.

And he walked us through the words of this angry, sentimental, gin-palace poet laureate.

Joe also talked a lot about The Wolf. The Wolf was either just outside the door or waiting for us when we were home alone. Joe said that someday we'd have to confront The Wolf. The Wolf, I guess, was our conscience--or he was death--or he was us--our inner truth.

And--sure enough--one night, in walks The Wolf.