I called up Charlie about a quarter past nine and said, "What's going on tonight?"
He said, "No plans, but I wouldn't mind holding a lighter head tonight."
I said, "Come to the Skyline, I'll be washing my sins away."
He just laughed, said "I'll be late, you know how I can be."

I looked in my fridge, it was a dark scene so I buttered some bread.
Chewed my way out the door and walked down the street
To the neon skyline, I grabbed myself a stool at the bar.
Oh somehow Rose always knows just exactly what I need.

She didn't ask, she just opened a cold can and set it down in front of me.
I said thanks and thought about how Judy used to come here with me.
But I got so tired of her calling this our disease,
'Cause I'm just fine. Sometimes I need to clear my mind, you know how that can be.

Charlie walked in about a quarter past ten and I said "Greetings, old man."
He hung his coat on the wall and took the stool next to mine.
He asked Rose for one glass of merlot and she laughed.
Oh I'm just fine, I'm wasting time, sometimes there's no better feeling than that.