The Running Man

Sorry I'm so sweaty
I just ran here from Japan
Where I had to run up and down a building
Because a little boy was trapped on the roof
And wanted to get down

Other people tried walking up the building
But the Special Rescue Police knew that you had to run up the building
Otherwise you'd just fall back down again

So they called me

Oh wait, have we met?
I'm Roger the Running Man

I run

I run pretty much everywhere

Faith and I are excellent wonderful friends
But we hardly ever get to see each other
Because I'm so busy running

Last week I ran to Hawaii
Where there was a giant storm
And all of Hawaii
Had to be brought to Alaska
And then I had to go back to Hawaii
Because none of the Hawaiians brought their winter clothes with them
Because we were in such a hurry to leave

By the time I got back, I was exhausted
And I completely forgot that I had promised Faith
I'd walk her home from school

She has to be walked home
Now that her parents are...

Well, they keep forgetting
That she's a little girl
And little girls can't walk home by themselves

So sometimes, because she..gets nervous
I mean, the walk from school isn't so bad
But you never know

So she runs

And I taught her how

Just in case I can't be there with her
I taught her how to run really fast
So she can get home in no time at all

And when I can
I run with her

But it's hard
Because I'm always running

Not to anywhere in particular
I just feel the need to be on the move

Oh sure, I do things once I get somewhere
But I'm never sure where I'm going
So it's difficult to make plans

Usually I just wait for someone to need me
And then that's where I go

And even then, it seems like I'm needed an awful lot

When I got back from Hawaii last week
Faith was mad at me

'What's wrong, Faith' I asked

'Why can't you ever run home with me like you promise to?'

I don't remember making any promises
But I'm sure I did

I just love the way that word sounds

'Promise'

Sometimes I forget
That there's more to it
Than the way it sounds

'I'm sorry, Faith,' I said, 'But there were so many emergencies today.  A man in Mexico needed to be at his doctor's appointment at three and his car broke down and his mule was tired and the doctor's office closes at three oh two, so he only had a two minute window and...'

That's when I noticed
That she was crying

'Why aren't I important,' she asked, 'Why am I the least important person you know?'

And I thought, Well that's not true!

My friend Faith is the MOST important person I know
More important than anyone

But she's also the quietest person I know
And sometimes you forget the quiet people
Because all the other people are making so much more noise

I really wanted to stay and do something nice for Faith
To show her that I was sorry
But then I remembered that I had borrowed my friend Randy's running shoes
And I had to get them back to him five minutes before I showed up at Faith's house

I didn't know what to say
And usually that means
It's because you're trying to find something to say
Other than what's true

So instead I just told Faith the truth

'Faith,' I said, 'I'm a running man.  I can't help it.  And I guess running men shouldn't be friends with little girls who need them.'

Faith nodded, and wiped some tears away

'They shouldn't be dads either,' she said

And I guess she was right

But you know, as soon as I ran away from her
And brought Randy's shoes back to him
And then ran to the circus to see my friend Loli the Acrobat perform
And then ran to New York to see the Statue of Liberty sneeze
And then ran to France to dance the last dance at my friend Sissy's wedding
I realized that I was tired

I was really tired of running

But by then it was too late

I'd already run away

Nobody ever tells a running man
He can't run forever

Then I remembered that Faith was having a party today
And I took a deep breath
The deepest breath I've ever taken
And I ran all the way here

And that's why I'm so sweaty
And that's why I'm so tired
And that's why I look so nervous

Because I don't want to run anymore
I just want to be Faith's friend

But I'm scared that she won't want me
I'm scared that she'll take one look at me
And walk away