It was an early morning bar room,
And the place just opened up.
And the little man came in so fast and
he started at his cups.

And the broad who served the whiskey
She was a big old friendly girl.
And she tried to fight her empty nights
By smiling at the world.

And she said "Hey Bub, It's been awhile
Since you been around.
Where the [bad word] you been hiding?
And why you look so down?"

But the little man just sat there
like he'd never heard a sound.

The waitress she gave out with a cough,
And acting not the least put off,
She spoke once again.

She said, "I don't want to bother you,
Consider it's understood.
I know I'm not no beauty queen,
But I sure can listen good."

And the little man took his drink in his hand
And he raised it to his lips.
He took a couple of sips.
And then he told the waitress this story.

"I am the midnight watchman down at Miller's Tool and Dye.
And I watch the [bad word]  I watch the time go by.
week ago at the diner I stopped to get a bite.
And this here lovely lady she sat two seats from my right.

And Lord, Lord, Lord she was alright!

Oh, she was so damned beautiful that she'd  warm a winter frost.
But she looked long past lonely, and well nigh on to lost.
Now I'm not much of a mover, or a pick them up easy guy,
But I decided to glide on over, and give her one good try.

And Lord, Lord, Lord she was worth a try!

Tongue tied like a school boy, I stammered out some words.
But it did not really matter much, because I don't think she heard.
She just looked clear on through me to a space back in my head.
And it shamed me into silence, as quietly she said,

"If you want me [bad word] with you, then that's all right with me.
Cause I know I'm going nowhere, and anywhere is a better place to be.
Anywhere is a better place to be."

I drove her to my boarding house, and I took her up to my room.
And I went to turn on the only light to brighten up the gloom.
But she said, "Please leave the light off, oh I don't mind the dark."

And as her clothes all tumbled around her, I could hear my heart.

The moonlight shone upon her as she lay back in my bed.
It was the kind of scene I only had imagined in my head.
I just could not believe it, to think that she was real.
And as I tried to tell her, she said "Shhh.. I know just how you feel.
If you want [bad word] here with me, then that's all right with me.
Because I've been oh so lonely ... loving someone is a better way to be.

Anywhere is a better place to be.'

The [bad word] so swiftly, while I held her in my arms.
But she slept like a baby, snug and safe from harm.
I did not want to share her with the world
or break the mood,
So before she woke I went out and bought  us both some food.

I came back with my paper bag, to find that she was gone.
She'd left a six word letter saying,

"It's time that I moved on.'

The waitress took her bar rag, and she wiped it across her eyes. And as she spoke, her voice came out as something like a sigh.

She said "I wish that I was beautiful, or that you were halfway blind.
And I wish I weren't so doggone fat, I wish that you were mine.

And I wish that [bad word] with me, when I leave for home.
For we both know all about loneliness, and living all alone."

And the little man... looked at the empty glass in his hand.
And he smiled a crooked grin,
He said, "I guess I'm out of gin.
And I know we both have been.. so lonely.

And if you want me [bad word] with you, then that's alright with me. Because I know I'm going nowhere and anywhere is a better place to be."