He had plastic bags wrapped 'round his shoes
He was covered with the evening news
Had a pair of old wool socks on his hands
The bank sign was flashing 5 below
It was freezing rain and spittin' snow
He was curled up behind some garbage cans
I was afraid that he was dead
I gave him a gentle shake
When he opened up his eyes
I said, "Old man are you okay?"
He said, "I just climbed out of a cottonwood treeI was runnin' from some honey beesDrip dryin' in the summer breezeAfter jumpin' into Calico creekI was walkin' down an old dirt roadPast a field of hay that had just been mowedMan, I wish you'd just left me alone'Cause I was almost home"
Then he said, "I was just comin' 'round the barn'Bout the time you grabbed my armWhen I heard Momma holler, "
Son, hurry up"I was close enough for my own noseTo smell fresh cobbler on the stoveAnd I saw daddy loadin' up the truckCane poles on the tailgateBobbers blowin' in the windSince July of '55That's as close as I've been"
Yeah, I just climbed out of a cottonwood tree
I was runnin' from some honey bees
Drip dryin' in the summer breeze
After jumpin' into 
Calico creek
I was walkin' down an old dirt road
Past a field of hay that had just been mowed
Man, I wish you'd just left me alone
I was almost home
I said, "Old man, you're gonna freeze to deathLet me drive you to the mission"
He said, "Boy, if you'd left me aloneRight now I'd be fishin'"
I just climbed out of a cottonwood tree
I was runnin' from some honey bees
Drip dryin' in the summer breeze
After jumpin' into 
Calico creek
I was walkin' down an old dirt road
Past a field of hay that had just been mowed
Man, I wish you'd just left me alone'
Cause I was almost home
Man, I wish you'd just left me alone
I was almost home