He's got one hand on the steering wheel

The other's playing in the wind

And he turns up that song he used to love

But was always embarrassed to admit

And he sings out loud and clear

But only out here.



He's passing up the fruit stands

and tourist traps

He saves his money for convenient-store

coffee, smokes, and gas

Knows a sure-fire way

and has the will of his want



He says, "This time things are gonna be different"

"This time I'm gonna do as I pleases"



He signals right on a random exit

That ol' time warp came into view

He said, "I'll have the 99-cent breakfast

And coffee brewed to wake the dead"

And hands back a sticky menu

The waitress calls him "honey"

My God, she must've worked here

All her life

And he started missing home

'Til he remembered why he'd left,

Sat back and reset his sights



And he wants

The world to hold him like a baby

Never treat him like a child

He thinks his tears are some big secret

The only one kept by the night

Only at night

So he picks a dream--any dream

Follows it for a while then says, "It's just not me"

"No, I'm not running. I'l well on my way"

He still has her picture on his dash



Yeah, that tramp gave back his ring

But every time he's near a pay phone

he's tempted again

He could call as just a friend, lift his voice

and mask his pain

But he won't give her the satisfaction

No, he won't lower himself again.



He says, "This time things are gonna be different"



So he calls me collect about 12 am his time

And he said that job fell through

But there's another one across the line

And I asked, already knowing, if he was okay

And he said, "Yeah. It's just--sometimes..."

So I hugged best I could with words

And with a shrug in his voice

that couldn't fool a stranger

He finally got around to asking,

"Did she ask about me?"





I wish I could have said "yes