night runner

i seen him at the gas station
he’s parked next to the pump
standin’ at the counter with that toothpick danglin’ on his lip

he’s askin’ for the luckies
as he points back to the wall
and he puts his hand inside his jacket to feel that pistol ridin’ on his belt

outside his lady’s pumpin’
she’s got bleached hair and tired eyes
and a heart full of old desires

there’s a birdcage dangling
underneath that rear view mirror
with a tiny blues guitar that’s sittin’ in there

now he’s reachin’ for his piece
he waves it so’s the man can see it
he points the barrel to the drawer and says “go get it”

he taps his stacked heel cowboy boots
against the cold linoleum floor
as that toothpick dances on his smiling lips

the man behind the counter fills the bag
and throws a couple candy bars in too
because he’s told to do

the old lady’s finished now
and her man comes wildly running out
and screamin’ “chupacabra!”

he hops inside and hits the gas
and throws the bag up on her lap
and the two of them are hauling ass and runnin’ with the night