He waS DRiVinG hOmE oNe EveNiNG,
iN hIs BeAt Up PoNtIaC.
WhEn An OLd LaDY FLaGgEd hiM dOWn;
HeR MeRcEDeS HaD a FLaT.
He CoULd SeE tHaT ShE wAs FRighTened,

StaNdiNG oUt tHeRE iN thE sNoW.
'TiLL hE SaId "i'M hErE tO hELp YoU mA'Am,
bY tHE wAY, mY NaMe'S jOE."

ShE SAiD "i'm FrOm sT. LoUiS,
AnD i'M oNLY PaSsiNG tHrOUgh
i MuSt'vE sEeN a HuNDreD cArs gO by,
ThiS iS aWfUL NiCe oF YoU."

WhEn hE'D cHaNGeD tHE tiRE, AnD CLOsEd hER TrUNk,
aNd WaS ABoUt tO drIve aWaY,
ShE SAid "HoW mUCh dO i OwE YoU?"

HeRe's WhAt He HAd to SAy:

::ChORuS::
YoU dON't oWe mE a ThiNG,
I'vE beEn thErE too.
AnD sOMeoNe OncE hElpEd ME OuT
JuSt tHe WaY i'M heLPiNg YoU.
If YOu ReALLy WaNnA PaY me BaCK,
HeRe'S WhAT YoU dO:
dONt LEt ThE cHaiN oF LoVE EnD wIth YoU.

WeLL A FeW MiLe'S DoWn tHe RoAD,
tHe LadY SaW a SmALL CaFE.
ShE WeNt in To GrAB a biTe tO eAt,
And ThEn Be oN hEr WaY.
BuT ShE CoULdn'T HeLP bUt NoTice
HoW tHe WaiTrEsS SMiLeD sO SwEeT
AnD hOW sHe MUsT'vE bEEn EiGhT mONthS aLoNG
AnD DeaD on HeR FeEt.

No, ShE DiDn'T KnOw HeR sToRy,
AnD ShE PrObAbLy NEveR WiLL
WhEn ThE wAitReSS WenT tO GeT hEr ChaNGe
FrOM a HuNDrEd DoLLaR BiLL,
ThE LaDY SLiPpED RiGHt OUt tHE doOr,
AnD oN a NaPkiN LEfT A NotE.
ThErE wErE TeARs iN the WaiTrEsS' eYes
WhEn ShE rEaD wHAt ShE wROtE:

::ChOrUs::
YoU dON't oWe mE a ThiNG,
I'vE beEn thErE tOO.
AnD sOMeoNe OncE hElpEd ME OuT
JuSt tHe WaY i'M heLPiNg YoU.
If YOu ReALLy WaNnA PaY me BaCK,
HeRe'S WhAT YoU dO:
dONt LEt ThE cHaiN oF LoVE EnD wIth YoU.

ThAt NiGhT wHeN ShE gOt HomE frOm WoRk,
THe WaiTrEsS cLiMbeD iNtO bed.
ShE WaS tHiNkiNg 'BoUt tHe MonEY,
AnD wHAt ThE LAdY's NoTE hAd SaiD.
AS hEr HuSbAnD LaY tHeRE SLeEpiNg,
ShE WhiSpeREd SofT anD LoW:
"EvERy ThiNGs GoNnA bE aLRiGht; i LoVe YoU, JoE."