God in Chicago

Her mom found her brother
Then she found the container wrapped up in a newspaper
Stuffed in a duffel bag with hockey
pads and seven grand in rubber bands
We didn't speak at the service but later a
message from a number that wasn't familiar said
"Hey it's Charlie's sister
Would you do me a favor?
There's unfinished business
It's roughly the size of a baseball"
I said I wasn't totally sure, but yeah I could probably call someone
I knew this kid from my dorm when I went to school in Wisconsin
My two semesters were a total disaster and he was part of the problem
Hadn't talked in forever
But Wayne from Winnetka picked up on the first ring
I explained the situation
He said he'd be interested but we'd have to come to him
We said lunch time on Wednesday
A Mexican restaurant a mile north of Midway
He worked for his father's shipping company out west of the city
Right now I'm not working
She said we could split it
Just glad to be finished and not even tempted
But it's so goddamn sad in her house right now
He's still here in everything
She just needs a break from it
Said she wants to come with
We left really early

Went from St.
Paul to Cicero in my Chevrolet that didn't have any radio
Had a boombox in the back seat that was running on batteries
Played 1999 into Led Zeppelin III
When the tape deck got all wobbly she still sang the harmonies
The transaction was easy
My buddy looked similar just a little bit heavier
And counting all the money in front of him seemed silly
This isn't the movies
It was over so quickly
Wayne got in his car
Drove into the sunset, turned left onto Cermak
And she turned to me and said:

I've never been to Chicago
I got nothing going on tomorrow
Maybe we could stay here tonight
Lose ourselves in the glass and light
Never been to Chicago
I've got nothing going on tomorrow
Maybe we could stay here tonight
Lose ourselves in the glass and light

We got a room at the Hyatt
Michigan Avenue I can still picture you
We each got a toothbrush from Walgreens
We drank in the taverns, we ate somewhere Italian

Then she's on the sidewalk trying to
ask for a cigarette from oncoming traffic
I felt God in the buildings
The light from the skyscrapers showing up in the river
And four years didn't seem like much anymore
We both want the same things
We kissed on the corner
We kissed in the corridors
We fumbled with clothing
We all want the same things
And then it was morning

We drove back all hungover
And all the way to Eau Claire she played with her hair
Came up on St. Paul and she was sobbing