Jerry Kilgore - Cactus In A Coffee Can lyrics

rate me

She had the window and I had the aisle

She looked twenty-five but she was shakin' like a child

When we took off I looked over and clutched her hands

There was a cactus in a coffee can

She was holdin' that thing like it was all she had

She smiled at me but I could tell she was sad

Somewhere over Denver I asked her her name

She said, Elena, then told me she came from Santa Fe

She ordered a drink and a wall came down

Yeah, she started talkin' and the pain poured out

She told me a story I'll never forget

She had me in tears when she looked at me and said

My mama's first love was crack

She made her livin' lyin' on her back

She gave me away the day that I was born

She said, "The last ten years I spent trackin' her down"

It just don't seem fair

that when I finally found her she was almost gone

We had two weeks to laugh and to cry

Two weeks to say hello and goodbye

She gave me this cactus, said it's kinda like me

It'll hurt you to hold it but it blooms every spring

She said, I'm on my way back to New Mexico

Was gonna scatter her ashes where the desert winds blow

But I came up with a better plan

Gonna keep 'em on the bottom of this coffee can

My mama was a tortured soul

But I still love her even though

She gave me away on the day that I was born

The plane touched down and we both got off

I took her hand and said sorry for your loss

She said thanks for listening, for being here

I've been wantin' to talk about her for so many years

Now, I'll probably never see Elena again

We met as strangers and parted as friends

As we waved goodbye I was sure of one thing

There'll be a flower on that cactus come next Spring