The Heart of Saturday Night -- Tom Waits

(Poem #252)The Heart of Saturday Night (Prologue) This is a song about, uh, Saturday night. Call yourself up on the phone, it's very simple: Saturday rolls around you need a date, Call yourself up- you're always going to be around. And you ask yourself out, you ain't no fool, you're always going to say yes. (laughter) I always take myself to class joints, I ain't cheap or anything. I go down to get a little dinner at Victoria cafe.. strange looking little patty melt there. Walk out of there with enough gas to open up a Shell station most nights. I had this damn, um, I had a, what was it, (indistinct) veal cutlet sandwich, gravy's extra. Um, cup of coffee. Veal cutlet sandwich got up, walked off the damn plate, all the way down to the end of the bar, and come back and tried to beat the shit out of my cup of coffee.. the coffee wasn't strong enough to defend itself. So, it was a, um, it was a fascinating evening. Well, I drove myself home and, um, take a scenic route, and, uh, park in front of the house. And uh, you know, you always kind of dawdle for a while, get some smooth music on FM. Sliding close to yourself, whisper something in your ear, like.. "I like your style" And then, uh, and then, (indistinct) "Are these earrings, from Woolworths? *Fascinating* perfume you have on tonight!" Take yourself up to the door and you then bring up on a fine high voltage, but you just end up taking advantage of yourself, there's no way around it. I'm not weird or anything, I don't tie myself up first. I just, ease into it, you know, real casual-like. *** Well, you gassed her up, and you get on behind the wheel Now you got your arm around your sweet one in your Oldsmobile You're barreling down the boulevard, And looking for the heart of Saturday night You got paid on Friday, your pockets are jingling Now that you see the lights you get all tingling Cause you're cruising with a six You're looking for the heart of Saturday night Then you're combing your hair, you're shaving your face You're trying to wipe out every trace Of all the other days in the week You know that this'll be the Saturday you're reaching your peak You're stopping on the red, you're going on the green Now tonight will be like nothing man, you've ever seen And you're barreling down the boulevard Looking for the heart of Saturday night Tell me, is it the crack of the pool balls, that neon buzzing Is it the telephone ringing, it's your second cousin The barmaid as she's smiling from the corner of her eye The magic of the melancholy tear in your eye That makes it kind of special, it's down in the core You'll be dreaming of them Saturdays that came before They found you stumbling Stumbling onto the heart of Saturday night You gassed her up, you're behind the wheel With your arm around your sweet one in your Oldsmobile Barreling down the boulevard And looking for the heart of Saturday night Tell me, is it the crack of the pool balls, that neon buzzing Is it the telephone ringing, it's your second cousin The barmaid as she's smiling from the corner of her eye The magic of the melancholy tear in your eye That makes it kind of special, it's down in the core You'll be dreaming of them Saturdays that came before They found you stumbling Stumbling onto the heart of Saturday night You're stumbling Stumbling onto the heart of Saturday night -- Tom Waits