Eric Hisaw
Ain't how it was

He was a kid that nobody knew
no matter how many years they went to the same school
he wore his hair way down in his face
had a look that said let me out of this place
a broken tooth that no one cared to fix
drove an International pickup from nineteen sixty six
had one friend he met smoking dope
who was twenty nine years old and living with his folks
twenty nine and living with his folks
that was his only friend he met smoking dope

the neighbors said his mother went mad
it was all for the best she left him with his dad
who was old, but nice enough
if you could keep him off the whiskey and week long drunks
when he'd make a point with his fist
and try to say he's sorry with a bourbon breath kiss
the old man knew that would be his dying day
the boy was just too big and mean to push around that way
too big, to push around that way
the old man knew that would be his dying day

he got a job down at the Texaco station
that and fixing up the truck took all his concentration
until a girl started coming round his way
cause none of the nice boys would give her the time of day
his friends said on't touch her man she ain't no good
but he figured she was easy so what was there to lose
she wasn't easy, no that's not how she was
but for the first time in his life the boy felt love
first time, the boy felt love
but it wasn't easy no that ain't how it was