parking lot gospel

written by grant michaelson

shes got mascara running down a tuesday night under the buzz of a marathon sign her purse is open, receipts in a puddle and one little shoe gone missing from the backseat he keeps saying baby, baby, baby like if he says it enough it will turn into a door the pumps playing an ad for chicken tenders bright little woman laughing through the whole thing

clerk behind the glass keeps stacking beef jerky doesnt look up once guy in the lifted chevy kills his headlights but doesnt leave

save me, save me dont make me get in that car save me, save me i dont know where the hell you are you can call it love, call it losing your mind call it anything you need tonight save me, save me dont make me get in that car

theres a kid in a spiderman hoodie by the ice machine kicking at a crushed up cup his moms got both hands over her mouth like shes trying to keep something from getting out the girl at pump six says im fine three times then checks her phone like it owes her money her friend takes the keys without asking and gets called every name except her own

everybody suddenly needs cigarettes everybodys got somewhere to look nobody wants to be the asshole watching nobody wants to miss the good part

save me, save me dont make me get in that car save me, save me i dont know where the hell you are you can call it love, call it losing your mind call it anything you need tonight save me, save me dont make me get in that car

chattanooga, outside that bar, thirteen years gone rain ticking hard on the hood of her honda i said i would walk home, i said i would quit said i was sorry till the words turned thin then the locks came down. four little clicks. i still know the sound of it. tonight her door locks from the inside and my hands go stupid at my sides he says baby, and i almost say it with him like i have got any business helping

save me, save me dont make me get in that car save me, save me i dont know where the hell you are she puts it in reverse, he backs away the kid finds his shoe by the curb somehow save me, save me dont make me get in that car

under the buzz of a marathon sign he says it once more, low this time save me