Goin’ Down Slow

I got a story that I want to share with you all today
It's about a little, old country boy
You know, this boy felt one day he wanted to
Leave the hills and the countryside of Mississippi
He wanted to follow one of his cousins
A little bit further south, down to the big city
Yeah, he wanted to go to Miami
"Bright lights and big cities," he said
You know, he was a good looking young man
Had a nice little old smile that the girls just adored

But don't you know he felt he could get any woman
When he wanted her
A confident young man
I want to know, do you hear me out there?
This here's a story that I need to tell you
So this young man picked up the telephone and he made a call
And he said, "Grady, I'm coming to Miami"
Even though I knowed he could be trouble
I said "Cousin, come on. I welcome you with open arms."

Now when he got to Miami
First thing he wanted to do was
Go out and find himself one of those little hoochie mamas
But don't you know he messed up
And he got one that gave him something that the doctor
That the doctor couldn't even cure
Don't you know my cousin ended up with AIDS
And from there you know it's a downhill battle
So he asked me to call his mother
And tell her what was going on in his life
So I told him, "Cousin, I'll do that"
And this is here what he told me to tell her

Said, "I done had my fun
Lord, if I never get well no more
Said I done had, Lord, I done had my fun
If I never get well no more
You know my health is failing me
And I'm goin', I'm goin' down slow"
He said, "Call, call my mother
Grady, tell her, tell her the shape I'm in."
He said, "Please, please, call my mother
And tell her, tell her the shape I'm in
Ask her to pray, ask her to pray for me
And forgive me for my sins"