Once she tried to teach me to Charleston
It was the closest I came to seeing her dance
But I gave up because it was too hard

Once she had an extra bourbon
And slapped my cousin's husband in the face for dropping one too many four letter words

Once she told me she liked country-western music
and roses and hummingbirds
But she hated my tattoos

Once she cried to me because she was tired of getting older
And it was the first time
I realized she was afraid to die

She used to tell me every day
between work and school
"Don't work too hard, darlin'"