About a week before I was laid off
I took Maria down to Atlantic City
We hit the tables
And saw a couple shows
Maria loves that shit
(I couldn't care less)
I hope she remembers
A friend of mine
Sells black market cigarettes
And some other stuff
I help him sometimes
And that should keep me
In spending money
While I go bankrupt
Tomorrow we're going to the river
I'll bring my old boom box
And some tapes I made her
When we were in high school
I found them in the basement
While I was looking for my baseball mitt
Even though I'm not doing much
I'm tired all the time
A bartender told me it's stress
I don't believe that
I haven't told my wife
I'm out of work
We leave at the same time
I come home
Watch game shows
Drink beer
And listen to music with my dog
Sometimes in the afternoon
I drive around
But the radio sucks
And I have nowhere to go
Sometimes I do go to the lake
Sit in the car
Watch the snow fall
But that only works for awhile
I should be looking for a job
But I don't want one
Maybe I will
When I really want something
Or I lose everything
At the risk of sounding depressing
My dad used to say at the dinner table
At least we're doing better than the niggers
My mom would say Henry
My dad would laugh and wink at me
And say he knows I don't mean nothing
I think he meant that
Although we weren't doing that good
At least we weren't doing that bad
I can't even say that anymore
My dad isn't a racist
His friends said nigger this
Nigger that
So he did
I'm not making excuses
He doesn't need me to
My dad has his faults
But we always had food
A house
And he had a little extra in his pocket
Most of the time
If my mother or I needed anything
And he cheered like a madman
If I did something good in a football game
And he treats my mom pretty good
I met Maria my junior year
I knew she was the one
And I wouldn't do better
In a million years
So I married her
College was a stupid dream
I sure don't regret my choice
It was the right one
I was going to study engineering
I have always been fascinated by bridges
