Strikeout ©1996 Richard March Me and John met back at Strikeout, summer ‘fore the seventh grade He had moved two years before, parents went their separate ways It was him and little sister, bouncin’ back and forth between their mom & dad We had both moved from South City, what I call a workin’ town There were lots of different people, and there were plenty kids around This new bedroom town we moved to, it was quiet, it stuffy, and it was old But it was better than most living, so we made some friends and learned to call it home I was square and kinda heavy, he was tall and pretty thin So we learned to take our lashes, with sarcasm and a grin And we both befriended Michael, he was cool, he smoked his grits and played guitar All the girls thought he was something; me and John agreed he’d someday be a star There was Chris, the sad-eyed jester, tell a joke and tear it apart Yeah to Chris most things came easy, all except the livin’ part Then came Danny from the East Coast, who like us, he picked a role and played a part But by high school he decided, all he wanted was a girl to keep his heart I don’t long to live those young years, I like the lines upon my face For they're drawn from blessed living, deeper ones will take their place And I don’t believe in the best years, it’s all relative I’d say Yeah, the best years come when livin’, in your heart from day to day Paul he joined when we were juniors, was his mother’s only son So much bottled up inside him, kept his hand upon his gun Yeah, his eyes showed wheels turnin’, but you never knew which way the boy would head And we’d ride the weekend highways, try to touch a burnin’ light We’d end up drinkin’ coffee at the local, up all night Smokin’ cigarettes and bluffin’, puffin’ out our chest till someone else would say “Cut the crap” and we’d all laugh, and for a while we’d step outside the games we played Now I don’t long to live those young years, I like the lines upon my face For these memories help remind me, Who I am n’ where I trace. Many more on that harder highways, and my heart goes out to you, I say thank you to the friends whose help has brought me here to you. Hardly halfway through the duty, we were all ready to leave Mike and Chris, they both broke ranks, ripped the stripes right off their sleeves They had more important battles, and I guess they thought they’d fight them on their own Well the rest, we finished schoolin’ Danny practiced on his swing He was first to find his pitch, and hit the long ball with a ring Now he works hard for his family, and we watch to see his son so quickly grown We’ll all share our living lessons, he won’t learn ’em til he tries it on his own I don’t long to live those young years, I like the lines upon my face For these memories help remind me, Who I am n’ where I trace. And I don’t believe in the best years, it’s all relative I’d say Yeah, the best years come when livin’, in your heart from day to day.