Truck Driver

My uncle died in a fire on his birthday
Redneck that he was
Burning trash in his yard one day
And on to the pile, he threw
An aerosol can of spray
And that's how he died in the fire that day.

Before he retired, he was a truck driver
He'd be gone through the winters and all through the summers
In the winters us kids would order Domino's and watch Happy Days
And in the summer, we'd gig frogs at the pond and fry up their legs.

My Aunt still lives there, out in Ohio
I visit her in the [?], she makes me smile
We'd remember the story of when I was young
Getting stung by a hornet, she caressed my foot
Rubbed baking powder on it.

I was probably five at their home in Navarre
My cousin's friend was in the yard playing guitar
We all gathered around, listened to her play and sing
And I fell into a trance and knew that one day I would do the same thing.

My Uncle died in a fire on his birthday
Out by the barn and his old collection of cars
Third degree burns, a charred up shovel near his hand
My Uncle died a respected man.

I flew out there, I went to his funeral
Was storming that day, the sky was deep purple
And babies were crying, Kentucky Fried Chicken was served
And that's how he would've wanted it, I'm sure.

And after the funeral out there in Navarre
They all gathered around when I picked up a guitar
They fell into a trance as I sang and I played
And outside the frogs croaked and the mantises prayed.