He's got one hand on the steering wheel  The other's playing in the wind  And he turns up that song he used to love  But was always embarrassed to admit  And he sings out loud and clear  But only out here.  He's passing up the fruit stands  and tourist traps  He saves his money for convenient-store  coffee, smokes, and gas  Knows a sure-fire way  and has the will of his want  He says, "This time things are gonna be different"  "This time I'm gonna do as I pleases"  He signals right on a random exit  That ol' time warp came into view  He said, "I'll have the 99-cent breakfast  And coffee brewed to wake the dead"  And hands back a sticky menu  The waitress calls him "honey"  My God, she must've worked here  All her life  And he started missing home  'Til he remembered why he'd left,  Sat back and reset his sights  And he wants  The world to hold him like a baby  Never treat him like a child  He thinks his tears are some big secret  The only one kept by the night  Only at night  So he picks a dream--any dream  Follows it for a while then says, "It's just not me"  "No, I'm not running. I'l well on my way"  He still has her picture on his dash  Yeah, that tramp gave back his ring  But every time he's near a pay phone  he's tempted again  He could call as just a friend, lift his voice  and mask his pain  But he won't give her the satisfaction  No, he won't lower himself again.  He says, "This time things are gonna be different"  So he calls me collect about 12 am his time  And he said that job fell through  But there's another one across the line  And I asked, already knowing, if he was okay  And he said, "Yeah. It's just--sometimes..."  So I hugged best I could with words  And with a shrug in his voice  that couldn't fool a stranger  He finally got around to asking,  "Did she ask about me?"  I wish I could have said "yes".