(Adlibs)
Intro:
This is the story of
A man I met one day when I was waitin' for the bus
A conversation we had started up
Talkin' about the world around us and such
Turned out that he was really down on his luck
I just listened to the old man—Broakland wisdom
He talked about a place where the weight can't get him…
And I thought he looked pale as he started his tale
With these words, and I'll never forget ‘em:
Verse:
“They said I'd find an opportunity here
But I been grindin' now for too many years
I should've stayed back home
But I'm a man—I swore I'd never make my way back home
Before I tried to make it on my own
I got a wife, I bought a house that I could call my own
Got a couple loans to carry the weight
I guess I made a mistake…
These interest rates didn't seem to abate
When I got laid off, and then started payin' ‘em late
Now I had worked on the line for the last 15
‘Til they replaced me with a faster machine
Employers told me I was too old, or under-qualified for most things
My connections at the factory ain't pullin' no strings…
I had to take a job sweepin'
Every night, I swear I think about leavin'
But instead I volunteered to work evenin's
Give me overtime, weekends, anything to stay eatin'
They foreclosed on the house—another place I can't be in
Lost everything, except what we could fit in the ride
We haven't found a new spot yet, and trust me I've tried
Times are tight—the little I make I pay to the bank
I got a second job…I'm havin' problems stayin' awake
It ain't safe! For two weeks we had to sleep in the car
So it's getting hard tryin' to reach for the stars
When I'm droppin' off my son at the cla**room
And kids laughin' at him ‘cuz they saw us brushin' our teeth in a gas-station bathroom
We got a spot at the shelter now for the time bein'
And every night I go to sleep and pray that I'm dreamin'…
So now I take the bus to see some place
Meet the landlord, hand forms, plead my case
I think that maybe if they see my face
They'd know the hurt that I have
And might let me waive the first and the last
For a few weeks, at least until we get on our feet…”
And then he drifted off. He was either dead or asleep…
And just then the bus pulled up
And all of a sudden he just stood and got on without sayin' a word
The bus driver said “Maybe you heard…he's been at this same stop for 15 years
I came to take him home today.”
He tipped his hat and then they drove away
I stood frozen with an open mouth…
I didn't know if they were goin' either North or South
There was an “Out of Service” sign in the back window of the bus as they was rollin' out
That's all I know about…I saw an “Out of Service” sign in the back window of the bus as it was rollin' out