My legs had gone to sleep
By the time we made Swift current,
I gather up my suitcase and guitar.
When I saw him on the platform in a cap and baggy trousers,
He nodded as I stepped down from the car.
I was zipping up my coat,
He was flagging down a taxi
For a flustered mother,
He sent her on her way.
A young woman turned and asked me,
"Does that man work for the railroad?"
I said, "No, that's Bill, he's here every day.
That's old Bill, he's down here every day
He likes to work, he won't take pay.
He's been here since he retired in Œ82
I've seen his kind everywhere I go.
They're made to feel too old and slow
They're restless when they have no job to do.
He wants one more ride, before his time is over
I think he worked these rails before the war.
One more ride, and you know he'd better hurry,
The railroad won't come through here anymore."
He was blowing across his coffee
At the counter in the restaurant
I sat down next to him and said, "Hello."
I said, "I guess the days are numbered
When you can work here at the station
They're closing down the line, now where'll you go?"
He shook his head, he bit his lip
His cup and saucer rattled.
He cleared his throat and slowly turned around
He said, "I don't know what I'll do.
I'm too old to change my habits,
I can't believe they'd close the railroad down."
He said "I love the sound, I even love the smell
God damn the ba*tards all to hell
How dare they say the railroad won't pay?
I wanted one more ride, before my time was over,
To feel the wind and hear the diesels roar.
One more time, to dream when I was younger,
But dreams count for nothing anymore."
Well I gave in to the impulse,
I ran and bought a ticket,
I brought it back and set it by his side,
I said, "Let's head out west together,
I tell my best lies in the club-car.
Come on old man, let's take one more ride.
We'll drink and watch the sun sink
In the flames across the prairie,
At nighttime feel the darkened coaches sway
We'll hear the whistle echo through a thousand icy canyons.
Come on old man, let's go. What do you say?"
His eyes grew bright, he raised his chin
The longing hit like a gust of wind
And then he shook his head and whispered,
"Thanks but no,
Some dreams you win, some dreams you hold,
Some haunt you like the gleam of gold.
And I'll hang on to this one
Thank you all the same."
One more ride, the time is over"
We stood outside to watch the sun go down.
One more ride," I heard him whisper in the darkness.
And he turned to walk toward the lights of town.