you carry the beach in your way too short hair
that you shaved off last week
cause you freaked and got scared
that when it's longer, you remind me of her

so you offered it up
with what passed for authority
a strict sort of challenge
that you directed straight at me
you said "forget her, i don't care what you two were"

so it's a trick on your ego
a two-step off tempo
a solid gold bracelet
under lights in a window
in some shopping mall
where i never go

you play coy and count tiles
drag your toes through the water
raise your eyes, bite your lip
and my mind's in the gutter
you move at me and take my face in your hands

i feel light bulbs explode
and a fire crack thunder sends
the slow seismic shift
the sprawling cloud cover
but when we're finished
i feel awful again

so it's the same sorry story
just the cast changes nightly
it skips like a record
but it glows like a movie
you're the country sky
that i never see

shake in your voice
makes me feel empty and ugly
all scattered anger like a windstorm
howling violently
and i wanna fade out
and wake up somewhere else
where no face is familiar
and i'm left by myself
to keep plugging away
on my own wasted time
to eat badly and spend all my money and write
to not feel too guilty
to be tired at night
since i'm not fixing things here
i'll leave them behind
so you make your decision
cause i'm through making mine

now i walk where the street
swallows light like it's water
i see the slant of your smirk
on every kid at the corner
but if you called
i'd never know what to say
so i just hope you never will
cause things are easier that way