Kentucky Kindness

It was around harvest time
When we found the body in the barn

I asked Pop about it
And he said 'Don't ask'
So I didn't

I had chores I had to do everyday
And most of them were done in the barn
But Pop told me to take the day off
Go cut school and hang out in town
So that's what I did

The police found me at the movie theater
And when they took me home
They asked me questions

Did I see this
And did I see that

And I said I mind my own business
And my Pop said 'That's right, he does'
But after my Pop left the room
To go give his final statement, or whatever, outside
I told the police about my brother
How he's bad into drugs
And how he steals
And how he stole my allowance one week
And then nobody saw him for days

I asked the police if that would help them
Knowing we had a junkie in the house
And they said--Yeah, that helps
What you said helps a lot

They looked upset
'Cause I was rattin' out my own brother
But why should Pop or me or Danny
Take the fall for something
We didn't do
When it was probably just my brother
With his temper being bad
And his bottle of Kentucky Kindness
Making him do
All sorts of bad things

When Pop came back in the house
He was all ghost-white
And said--'What'd you tell 'em that for?
Why'd you tell 'em about your brother?'

And I could smell the tears on his face
Like I smelled the Kentucky Kindness
On my brother's breath

And that's when I remembered
Him finding me in the barn
The day before
When I was doing my chores

Trying to get more allowance out of me
Same as last time

And his teeth were stuck together
And he had sweat coming down his face
And I was so disgusted with him
And angry
That when he grabbed my arms
I tore him off
And went running towards the loft

He grabbed at me and we both fell
But I reached for the pitchfork a foot away from me
And when I felt the cold metal in my hand
I just...

But I finished my chores

That way I wouldn't get in trouble

I don't like getting in trouble

When my Pop sent me into town
After I found the body
He told me not to come back
He told me to go to the bus station
But I forgot
And went to the movies instead
And the police found me

But I got nothing to hide
I didn't even remember about my brother
Coming to see me in the barn
Until I really thought about it

Sometimes I forget things

But that don't make me a bad person, does it?

Everybody forgets what they need to

At least...I think so anyway