I give my woman half my money at the general store
i said, "now buy a little groceries, and don't spend no more."
but she gave ten dollars for a ten cent hat
and bought some store bought cat food for a mean eyed cat.
When i give her ten more dollars for a one way ticket
she was mad as could be
then i bet ten more that if she ever left
she'd come a-crawlin' back to me
when i woke up this mornin' and i turned my head
there wasn't a cotton pickin' thing on her side of the bed
i found a little note where her head belonged
it said, "dear john, honey, baby, i'm long gone."
When i heard a whistle blowin', and the big wheels a-turnin'
i was scared as i could be
i pt on my overalls and i headed to town
gonna bring her back with me.
I asked the man down at the station if he'd seen her there
i told him all about her pretty eyes and long, bonde hair
he spit his tobacco, said, "i'll be dad blamed....
i believe i did see her leavin' on the east bound train."
I bought a round trip ticket on the east bound train
i was broke as i could be
but when i come back, gotta buy another ticket
gotta bring her back with me.
Well' i got off the train somewhere in arkansas
and i worked up the guts to call my mother-in-law
she said, "i'll tell you where she is, if you act right."
"she's workin' four to twelve at trucker's world tonight."
When i walked in she saw me, and she took off her apron
and she grabbed her goin' home hat
she bought a ticket with her tips
and now we'e curled up on the sofa, me and her....and that mean eyed cat.