Sheila
©1975 Andrew Calhoun, recorded on Water Street and Phoenix Envy.
"If I had the chance, I'd leave that bastard."
Sheila said as she folded the steak knife in the mustard;
We sat together in her hot, greasy kitchen,
I was eatin' chicken, and Sheila was bitchin'.
She said, "I don't know why I stay around
Working my body down into the ground."
And she looked at the seams comin' apart on her purse
Like it was some great mistake of hers.
She said, "You know, he doesn't give a shit about me.
He's got a temper like TNT.
If he ain't hot one minute, he's cold,
I swear sometimes, he's two years old."
Sheila cussed about the heat and the price of meat
She said, "I'd be better off walking the street,
And I never would worry 'bout the rent no more."
When all of a sudden, there was her husband,
He was lookin' at her through the door.
Rick said, "Look Sheila, I get home from a hard day's work,
And here you are telling your lies to this jerk."
And he looked at his wife, and he looked at his kid
Like it was some great mistake of his.
Then the baby started crying, and they both began to yell,
That kitchen was one flight up from Hell,
My fingers started shaking and my back turned to wood,
I left just as quiet and graceful as I could.
I watch the light drain from the evening as I walk back down the line
And I still can hear 'em fighting, and the baby crying,
And the headlights shine, and I go blind
To some great mistake of mine.