In the later afternoon it sort of softens on the avenue I'm wasting the remainder of the day Drinking off what's left of the glasses on the table When the couples get their checks and walk away And I'll be here tomorrow then every day that follows Until I see you later on this week Will you come and pick me up when I get off of the bus? Will you help me bring by stuff out to the beach? When we met I was The Reverend You were in the congregation Didn't happen right away but pretty soon And I never had a calling it was just a strong desire To be the one that stood up in the room When I was a child I used to fixate on the chaplain The way he brought the widows all to tears And that looked like a decent way to make a little living here I gave myself to God for a few years Built a chapel off the exit On the highway outside Harrisburg There was all that new development back then Parishioners would come to me With cakes and little pastries And ask me for my blessing once again But I couldn't shake the feeling I was faking all the faithfulness Every single sermon was a fraud Drifted through the rituals Prideful high and pitiful and Pissing off a petty vengeful God Pissing off a petty vengeful God My parents are both ancient now I'm staying at their summerhouse I clear out on the weekends when they come To my sister's and her daughter's On the fringe of Philadelphia With their skinny cigarettes and snapping gum But I'm grateful for the place to stay I'm caddying on Saturdays The money's not as good as it was when we were teenagers I walk back from the golf course Cut through a couple backyards But I try to keep my eyes pointed heavenward In some other prior life The Reverend and his wife Are sitting in the kitchen making plans Unaware of all the mess The pressure and the flesh Is capable of making in a man I never really fell Because I was never quite convinced I must admit I miss all the simplicity Of a woman and a man Though I also understand The reasons that you no longer want to be with me I can see why you no longer want to be with me The devil came in hot Someone called the cops I explained to them how much it is you mean to me The cuffs they made a click As they wrapped around my wrists Everybody's got their version of security Maybe there's a life where The Reverend has his wife And Jesus has his ministry in Galilee But the sunset looks like blood From the window of the bus Somewhere between Harrisburg and Bethany Somewhere between Harrisburg and Bethany Somewhere between Harrisburg and Bethany