Warm Hands and Cool Cement

She can stay out there
That's fine

Not hurting anybody
Laying on a road
Looking up at a street lamp
Like it's going to give her
The secret of life

Who knows?

Maybe it will

People have gotten wisdom
From stranger things
Than street lamps

I learned more from Bernice's jukebox in high school
Than I did from any teacher

Girl like that is young
She's got warm hands
Needs something to put 'em down on
So she can cool herself off

It's frustrating having your own body
Make a sharp turn
And not let you know about it first

All of a sudden you're mouthing off to your parents
Feeling the urge to be bad
Feeling the urge to try drugs and kiss boys
And get a tattoo put on you
By some guy named Scissor

Thank the Lord I'm done with all those body changes
Drives a person crazy

Kathleen, open up that window
I think it just got twenty degrees hotter in here
Damn the South

It's like living in a bipolar microwave

Aw, look at my poor girl

She's upset because she told me to go you-know-what myself
And I started to cry
And she ran out the door
And now she's out there
Scared to come in
And wondering what the hell's wrong with her

Wondering when she and I can be friends again
Wondering when it can be like it was
When she was a little girl

I'm kinda wondering that myself

My mother died when I was still going through
All those changes

We never got to go back to being friends

So I don't know what age it is
That things go back to normal

When you stop needing cool cement
For warm hands

Oh, don't worry about her

Eventually, she'll hear a car coming
And she'll stand up
And come in
And give me a hug
And cry
And say she's sorry
And then tomorrow I'll tell her
She can't get that tattoo from Scissor
And she'll tell me she hates me
And we'll start all over

But at least I know tonight I'll get a hug
And an 'I love you, Mama'
And a moment when she's holding onto me
Like she needs me

You can't worry about when you'll get more than that

You just have to savor
Those small instances

That's what I believe

And it's not bad advice

I should know

A street lamp told it to me