Carlos is Crying

The singer kind of slaughtered I Wanna Be Your Lover
And someone went to fetch a few more pitchers.
It wasn't all that crowded because the softball games had washed out in the rain.
I'd slipped out of my shift on some sort of screw up with the schedule.
There's a couple newer places by the river but Skippers is mainly where we hang.

Carlos had been distant since his sister went to Denver with that dickhead.
The dude claimed he was a carpenter but no one ever saw him pound a nail.
And Carlos knew his sister was old enough to make her own decisions.
But he hopes she isn't home when they finally come to take that jerk to jail.

Now Carlos starts crying and we're all kind of frightened.
Every single person at the table stops talking.
And he's sobbing and shaking and yeah we've been drinking
But it's different for boys.

He said how did this happen? It feels like we're drifting.
Are you sure we're even asking all the pertinent questions?
Turn on the burner and the butter will blacken.
Don't act like this was even our choice.

Mickey got up to get some money to put into the jukebox.
The waitress brought some water and then quickly scurried off back towards the bar. Carlos didn't even seem to care who was taking in the breakdown.
I asked him if he wanted me to offer to walk him to his car.

He said how did we get here? We started as skaters.
Then you got your license and then graduation
Then I changed medications and everything after
Went sideways including tonight.

You had a Screamer with trackers and OJs
And I had a Steadham with Bones and a dome tail.
And if failure's a trick then we learned pretty quick.
It just took a few times to get right.

Man, we used to glide.
We used to hang like the smoke.
We'd show off for my sister.
We didn't mind being broke.
Now every conversation I have is about money.
And I leave home in the morning but then I just keep driving.
Kill off the day until you guys stop working
Then pitchers at Skippers now Carlos is crying.

Carlos is crying because he didn't tell his girlfriend
That he stopped showing up at his job in the morning.
And it's been a few weeks and he knows it's not sweet.
And he's sobbing and shaking and all I can say is

I love you I feel you I know that you're hurting.
You're scared for your sister. You haven't been working.
I love you I feel you I'm sorry you're hurting but
Turn off the burner the butter is burning.