Scene from a Corner Café

Annette and Charmaine check in at six
Choose their pitch for the night
Easy money that's what they say
When you get your mind right

Charmaine wanted to be an actress
She never made the grade
Found it was not so much getting the part
More a matter of getting laid

And there's Sandy, sometimes he's a girl
Sometimes she's a man
No problem, that's O.K
Everybody understands
Points out a drink with a cigarette
She's got a cool nonchalant air
Flashing his eyes in the mirror
Casually checking her hair
She doesn't care

There's a whole world out there, passing through
I see it every day
Watching me, watching you
From a corner cafe

And the rich kids come in from the suburbs
They're dressing down and hanging out
Getting a taste of the street scene
Taking a taxi out
They're watching all the girls at the bar
They wonder how much they cost
Laughing at the transvestite
She's looking lost

Annette leaves with the big man
He's got hairs on the back of his hand
He says he'll make her a big star
And find her a backing band
He's old but he's rich so what does she care
Life all round is hard
No-one's looking for real commitment
It's just love on a credit card

There's a whole world out there, passing through
I see it every day
Watching me, watching you
From a corner cafe

Me, I'm not that much different
I'm hanging out and wasting time
Yeah, I'm still missing you
But I'm doing fine
I sit here watching the world go by
I'm on the lonely side of town
I write songs for the people I see
While they're still around

There's a whole world out there, passing through
I see it every day
Watching me, watching you
From a corner cafe