SECOND STREET MY DESITINATION

I HAD A JOB TO DO FOR PAY

NOT FOR HOLIDAY VACATION

 

A MAN WITH A GRIN, WIDE AND STIFF

WALKED WITH A STROLL IN HIS STEP

WHISTLED, MEANDERED, WINKED AND NODDED

TO PASSERS BY, TO HIS TUNE HE KEPT

 

I MIXED MY COLORS AND LOOKED INTO THE FAN

STEPPED BACK TWICE AND DODGED A FORK IN THE ROAD

THINGS ARE AS BAD AS THEY REALLY SEEM

THEY'RE OUT TO GET ME, I PUT DOWN MY LOAD

 

AND RAN FOR THE DOOR TO PICK UP MY COAT

THE COAT CHECK GIRL WAS THE GODDESS OF SWEET

SABRINA MAE, IN HER APRON SWAY

NEEDLESS TO SAY, SHE KNOCKED ME OFF MY FEET

 

THEN A SIREN SOUNDED INSIDE MY HEAD

GAVE HER MY NUMBERS TO PICK UP MY COAT

SHE CALLED ME BY MY NAME, LIKE YOU NEVER DID

THE TUNE WAS ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT

 

SHE HAD A LOTUS FLOWER IN HER FLOWING HAIR

I TOLD HER MY STORY, AND I DIDN'T SPARE

A SINGLE MINUTE DETAIL 'BOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME

LIKE A BOAT FOR TEN YEARS ON AN ANGRY SEA

 

I WAITED FOR MY COLORS TO COME BACK TO ME

FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE MORE THAN AN ETERNITY

THE PHONE RANG, SHE PICKED IT UP, AND SHE SAID "THIS IS SHE..."

T'WAS THEN THAT I KNEW THAT THEY WERE ON TO ME

 

BRIDGE:

ODYSSEUS HAD NOTHIN' ON ME

HE JUST WANTED TO GET HOME TO HIS PENELOPE

TRY AS I MIGHT, I KNOW I'LL NEVER SEE

YOU SITTIN' RESTLESSLY WORKIN' ON YOUR TAPESTRY

WHAT IS TO BE, MUST BE...YOU SEE?

SO, IF THE COAT CHECK GIRL IS JUST A FANTASY

I'LL TAKE MY NOON DAY TEA

AND JUST BE

 

SHE RAN ME A LIST, SHE CHECKED PREVIOUSLY

ONE BY ONE, AND TWO AND THREE

I SAID, "THAT LIST DON'T BELONG TO ME

I DON'T WANNA BE BROUGHT UP ON CONSPIRACY

 

OF THIEVERY, MIMICRY, MUTINY OR BLASPHEMY

OR INVADING ANYBODY'S PRIVACY

OR STUPIDITY IN THE FIRST DEGREE

I DON'T WANNA BE ACCUSED OF ANY OF THESE" 

 

SHE SAID, "NOW DON'T YOU FRET, OR WORRY A BIT

I'LL SEE TO IT PERSONALLY

THAT YOU'RE TAKEN CARE OF, RECEIVING AMNESTY

AND YOUR NAME IS ERASED FROM THEIR COLLECTIVE MEMORY"

 

THEN SHE SMILED, AND FLASHED HER TEETH LIKE PEARLS

EYES FLUTTERING, PIERCE MY RETROSPECTIVE THOUGHTS

TO HELL WITH ITHACA, SECOND STREET AND YOU

I'VE SEEN THE FALL OF TROY, THE TROJAN WAR'S BEEN FOUGHT

 

SECOND BRIDGE:

ULYSSES, HE SURE HAD NOTHIN' ON ME

HE SPENT TEN YEARS WAND'RIN' THE IONIAN SEA

BUT, NO MATTER HOW I TRY, YOU SEE

I GUESS I CAN'T COMPARE MY TRIALS TO THE ODYSSEY

I SUPPOSE THIS SONG IS JUST AN ELEGY

AND IF THE COAT CHECK GIRL IS NOT A FANTASY

I'LL TAKE MY NOON DAY TEA

AND JUST BE 

 

 

Copyright 2003, by David L. Heilman

 

 

 

 

I was just getting over a pretty bad cold, and had a very hard time hitting the high notes.  My throat was real scratchy, and Johnson was really patient with me.  Thanks Chris!  On the way back to Harrisburg, I stopped off at M.J.'s Coffee House, for some Joe, played a few songs and abused my voice a little more.  Thanks to M.J.'s and a real swell audience. -Dave 

 

 

RECORDED LIVE AT DEJA VU EATERY & LOUNGE, HERSHEY, PA, 11/19/02.