It was just after dark when the truck started down

the hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania.

Carrying thirty thousand pounds of bananas.

Carrying thirty thousand pounds (hit it Big John) of bananas.



He was a young driver,

just out on his second job.

And he was carrying the next day's pasty fruits

for everyone in that coal-scarred city

where children play without despair

in backyard slag-piles and folks manage to eat each day

about thirty thousand pounds of bananas.

Yes, just about thirty thousand pounds (scream it again, John) .



He passed a sign that he should have seen,

saying