Down at the shell shed the boys are pickin' at their pearls.   The hole in my mitten lets the rain get in.   I bought 22 ounces from the petrol park, waiting at the light;   I'm never gonna make it back in time      So Geraldine and me can begin   Before Mister Raymond and his Japanese slippers comes creepin' in.      I sit with the fan on my face and sip shandies all day.   I learned to sleep standing up so I don't have to make the bed.   No tobacco for my rolling papers, warm water in my cup--   I'll have to wait all morning      Before Geraldine and me can begin;   Before Mister Raymond and his Japanese slippers'll come creepin' in.      Loaded up with turkey carpets and green glass diamonds   I drove back and forth for five long rolling moons.   And everyday and every night I thought of back at home   And I couldn't get the notion out of my head:      That before Geraldine and me could begin   Mister Raymond and his Japanese slippers'd come creepin' in.      Everything is always a little late;   Trippin' on those Japanese slippers seems to be my fate.      It was my job to cut down all the poplar trees   And I'd sit on the stumps and listen to the finches.   And look out at the field and eat honey out of the jar   And wonder why it always seemed      Before Geraldine and me can begin   Mister Raymond and his Japanese slippers would come creepin' in.