I stole a dime from my mother's drawer The one her father gave her just before the war Kids are fucking pricks, a 1936 Added it to my book, went and sold it to some hick Bought a bag of weed and a 714 Split it up with my girl and laid down under the trees Lookin' up at the squirrels jumpin' branch to branch Fell asleep in the dirt and a trail of army ants It must have been winter, my mom was cleanin' up Heard her in her bedroom, all broken up I hurried to the door, she cried: There's something wrong She turned our home over, that Mercury Head was gone Sat down on the floor, I helped her sort clothes That little silver coin was all she had to show For her father's love and the time they had Before he held her last and never came back Must have been spring when I'd finally woken up Got her out of bed, all chokin' up I just wanted to die: For Christ, it was me Stupid little punk, maybe 14 Head was a foggy grey, a cloud of Darvocette Or what luck I found in the neighbor's cabinet I sat my mother down, I held her and we wept One day, I'll find it Mom, and that I meant 1993, down in Tennessee Me and Lou and Erin stopped and ate at Dairy Queen Got a Blizzard, a Coke and some fries Gave the girl a twenty and she said she's out of fives What about some ones, what about a roll of dimes? Kid brings 'em in, thief robs his grandma blind Grabbed 'em from that chic, cracked 'em open quick First one in my hand was a 1936 Sent it to my mom and said: It ain't the one But please forgive me, please, for all the hurt that I'd done I won't stop lookin', hurts me to this day You know I love you, Mom, more than words ever can say