Two Quarts Low
by Richard Ford



I gave $200 for this old truck
If it gets me home, it's gonna test my luck
It's Mopar mounted on a GMC
Ain't nothing but rust where the paint oughta be
If it gets me home and it won't be slow
Something's leakin', I'm two quarts low

Well, I worked all summer on an offshore rig
And the checks stopped coming 'coz the oil never did
The promise of pay was falsified
And that's how I learned about white-collar crime
Can ya meet me halfway if the engine blows?
'Coz something's leakin', I'm two quarts low
Well I tried to patch her but she wouldn't hold

Well, the truth worked better than this fairy tale
Now the truth is I just got outta jail
The state ran outta money, good sense and room
Now the warden's sendin' me home to you
Yeah there wasn't no pardon, no other parole
Just something leakin', I'm two quarts low

I broke down out on the Interstate
I got a busted block and no license plate
Sheriff caught me doing 105
Said, "boy you're lucky just to be alive!"
I said "Take my truck sir, but let me go"
He popped the hood and said "I don't think so, something's leakin', you're two quarts low,
Something's leakin', you're two quarts low!"

Well I tried to patch her but she wouldn't hold
Yeah, yeah, two quarts low