1936

I stole a dime from my mother's drawer
The one her father gave her just before the war
Kids are fucking pricks, a 1936
Added it to my book, went and sold it to some hick

Bought a bag of weed and a 714
Split it up with my girl and laid down under the trees
Lookin' up at the squirrels jumpin' branch to branch
Fell asleep in the dirt and a trail of army ants

It must have been winter, my mom was cleanin' up
Heard her in her bedroom, all broken up
I hurried to the door, she cried, "There's something wrong"
She turned our home over, that Mercury Head was gone

Sat down on the floor, I helped her sort clothes
That little silver coin was all she had to show
For her father's love and the time they had
Before he held her last and never came back

Must have been spring when I'd finally woken up
Got her out of bed, all chokin' up
I just wanted to die, "For Christ, it was me"
Stupid little punk, maybe 14

Head was a foggy grey, a cloud of Darvocette
Or what luck I found in the neighbor's cabinet
I sat my mother down, I held her and we wept
"One day, I'll find it Mom" and that I meant

1993, down in Tennessee
Me and Lou and Erin stopped and ate at Dairy Queen
Got a Blizzard, a Coke and some fries
Gave the girl a twenty and she said she's out of fives

"What about some ones, what about a roll of dimes?"
"Kid brings 'em in, thief robs his grandma blind"
Grabbed 'em from that chic, cracked 'em open quick
First one in my hand was a 1936

Sent it to my mom and said, "It ain't the one
But please forgive me, please, for all the hurt that I'd done"
I won't stop lookin', hurts me to this day
You know I love you, Mom, more than words ever can say