The birthday party was over toys were scattered here and there
Seven candles lay by the last piece of cake in front of an empty chair
A mother said son I know you're disappointed but please try to understand
Your daddy's been awfuly busy because you see he's a very big railroad man

So you go on to sleep now she kissed him turned out the light
But moments later a window opened and this little boy slipped out into the night
He was on his way to the depot the express wasn't due till ten
But who knows it might run a special if daddy's comin' in
That mighty scream of the 9:15 wripped through the winter night
And the whirl of the wheels and the clang of the steel
Seemed that jarred the country side
It was a southbound freight and it was runnin' late tryin' hard to make up time
When a great big man with a sack in his hand bound off that train like a lion
He hit the road like an old pro then he got up off the ground
Brushed the snow from off his grimy clothes
And he said hey kid what's the name of this town
The frightened boy said Grandville sir and the man said well what do you know
I used to live in this little ol' one horse town bout six or seven years ago
I told my wife when I left here that I was coming back in style
Ha oh well anyway I'm back I guess I might as well visit for awhile
So if you'll be so kind as to point the way to the Joneses
Well I'll go now and leave you be
And the young boy said the only Joneses that live around here sir
Is my mama and my daddy and me
Of course dad's been gone for a long time now
Course now he don't want to be ye understand
It's just that my daddy's got lotta important things to do
You see sir he's a very big railroad man
Oh he sends me birthday presents and mama reads me what he writes
In his last letter daddy promised that he was gonna try and make it home tonight
The man scratched the side of his head and said
Grandville Grandville I thought you said Denville
Oh well it's a kida natural mistake
Now if you'll just point the way to the depot
I'm gonna be checkin' in on the fast freight
I'll tell you what you do oh boy you run on home now
You tell your mom to go ahead and fix up your daddy's room
Cause I've got the strangest feeling
That your dad just might become home pretty soon