My Petition

I just sat down to watch the game when I heard the doorbell ring
And I wondered who in the world it could be
Through the peephole, all that I saw there was a crooked cap on curly hair
Some kid squintin' back at me

I said, "If you're sellin' somethin', well, I ain't buyin' nothin'
But I appreciate you stoppin' by"
Said, "I ain't askin' for a dime, just a minute of your time
And your name here on the dotted line
Could you sign my petition?"

Had a spiral notebook in his hand
Handed me a chewed up pen
And I ask you, "What am I signing up for?"
I scrolled down that wrinkled page
Saw a couple of neighbor's names
I kept readin', and I sat down on the porch

It was a letter to the President
With a list that numbered one to ten
It said

Make a law where daddies don't work late
Keep Uncle Joe and those soldiers safe
Give those kids on TV all they want to eat
Put a stop to bullies on the bus
No crime, no waits, no hate, no drugs
Give a jacket and a job to people on the street

I said, "Son, sounds like a world I'd like to live in"
And I signed his petition

He thanked me for my time
I headed back inside, grabbed my beer and got back to the game
Thought by now that boy, he's three doors down
Here I am just sittin' 'round waitin' on the world to change

Must've blocked the whole game out
All that I could think about was

Make a law where daddies don't work late
Keep Uncle Joe and those soldiers safe
Give those kids on TV all they want to eat
Put a stop to bullies on the bus
No crime, no waits, no hate, no drugs
Give a blanket and a job to people on the street

And I thought, "Man, ain't that a place I'd like to live in?"
And I thank God for that boy that's out there fixin' the world with his petition