I drove down to the lake today Where the water flowed in through the old spillway Lazy and bored, I figured I'd just sit Drink a beer or two and daydream a bit
I parked right next to a gnarled oak tree In solitude where I wanted to be Eighty eight point five played my favorite songs I couldn't help myself, so I sang along
Till I had a fancy to explore I opened up the rusty blue Dodge Ram door All bundled tight in my wool poncho I stepped out the truck into two below
Where the Permian red mud crunched beneath my boots Onto the flat full of geese and coots The sky was depressing, dark and grey Like you'd expect it to be on a funeral day
But I hadn't gone there to sulk or brood Watching water fill the lake is always good I walked a fair distance to the northeast side Skipped a few rocks on the by and by
And just when I was sure that I was all alone Up comes a hobo with a mangy redbone I could tell by the look in his careful eye That he was scared of me as to him was I
I put out my hand to introduce myself Saying 'What's with the weather? It's cold as hell!' He, 'That's a contradiction. It's about to snow' Me, 'Yes, no, maybe and I just don't know'
He told me then that his name was Sam He was down on his luck, but not on the flim flam Trusting him I reached to scratch the red dog's ears Something telling me there was nothing to fear
And Sam and I walked in unison He did most of the talkin'-- me the listenin' He pointed to a place in a far off nook Where his tent was hid away in a secret crook
Sam said, 'It isn't much, but I call it home' 'I've gotta can o' beans and some stale corn pone' So we sat on the ground and I lit a match The wood smoke smell from the campfire patch
Making me think it was more of God's plan That led me here to this homeless man And together we ate with some plastic spoons Chatting back and forth till way past noon
When my watch chime signaled it was time to go To walk back to the spillway where the water flowed Where Sam was my brother for one crazy day Though I doubt that I'll ever see him again