it was after midnight
and i'd lost sight
of yesterday
what else can i say

my pick-up & i
we'd made it home
hell, tweren't no place to roam
not for my pick up & i
tho' we both might try

stepped up on to
a flat space
the porch
what was i to do
it was flat ace
fell flat on my face

scrped my knee
my elbow too
but that's wouldn't do
landed on my shoulder
and as i grow older
this old soldier
knew
sumpin' weren't right
the pain was outta' sight

came in to go to bed
but my head
said
wrong
this is not where you belong

so as is my style
i laid there awhile
i said this pain will go it's way
face it another day
but it didn't
it wouldn't go away
it couldn't
what can i say

so my pickup & i
we did try
to make it to the emergency room
that place of gloom & doom

they took
not even a second look
and they say
man, you ain't dry today
then they began to x-ray

scraps & scratches
they'd seen um' hatches
but my shoulder
was bolder
it be f**ked
it s**ked
it be dis-located
relocated
broken
a token
of the flat surface i fell on
when it begun

so we re-hashed it
the fall that i took
they took one look
said s**t
and that was it

they gave me a shot
for the pain
said you're not
to drive
there's nuthin' to gain
except a dwi
said they'd make the call
that was all
police or a taxi for me
can you see

a taxi it be

so i came home
no place to roam
they put my arm in a sling
a taxi they did bring
next thing i knew
what was do
morning

i called my son
he came on the run
to get my pickup & i
by then i was dry
clean and, well sober,
still not over
the broken shoulder

they'd given me some pills
i'm taken em still
for the pain
and to regain
the feelin' in my arm
hey, no harm
no foul

i be left handed
now for awhile

so at 2 am
when you be who i am
watch out
for those flat surfaces & air pockets
they be hard
on old sockets

they send you to the emergency rooms
that place of fate & dooms

lucky for me
i knew the nurse
or this could'a been a lot worse

but then agin'
the nurse & i
we saw eye to eye
so we'll see
is this hellow or good-bye
least it's worth a try

broken shoulder
and i grow older
bolder
be an old soldier

so we got a date
can't wait
for saturday night

this time i'll take care
beware
of flat surfaces
there in the air