The Ballad of Jay and Rose Mary

Cousins

The sun was rising slowly, furnace hot at dawn
Jay was in his hammock whittling on a horn
I was in the kitchen munching stale cakes
Thinking about Rose Mary and how the cookie breaks.

All in all, it's just another down-home day.

Rose Mary was nineteen, slender as a wand
Jay was something else, a bullfrog in a pond
A viper in disguise, a rattler in a sack
If you cared to call it, he would double slap you back.

Rose Mary was smitten, she fell for Jay in style
Just like Robert Mitchum, full of menace with a smile
Fluttered her eye lashes, half an inch of hunch
Jay was like a schoolboy, a kid in need of lunch.

Jay took her to a dinner and told her of his power
He checked into a hotel room but only booked an hour
Rose Mary was no mug, she didn't miss a thing
When Jay stepped on the gas, whipping off his ring.

His wedding ring was buried in the pocket of his pants
Which Rose Mary was going through while Jay was scratching ants
He opened up the bathroom door, feeling ill at ease
But Rose Mary was long gone with his clothing and his keys.

I was getting ready to round up missing steers
When Rose Mary came knocking in a crocodile of tears
She asked me what my name was, I said my name was Jay
She asked me did I sleep well? I said most everyday.

They say that money talks, mine just said goodbye.