Turnpike Tom
Steve Goodman
DFirst (xx0232@1)time I met old Turnpike Tom
Sittin' in a diner in Bloomington
G (320003@1)                             DHe (xx0232@1)said "Are you going my way?"
He had a sleeping bag and his hat was torn
And both his thumbs were two feet long
From years of hitchin' on the hi-way
F (133211@1)     Em (022000@1)           AmHe (x02210@1)said "Mister, won't you give me a ride
F (133211@1)     Em (022000@1)           Am (x02210@1)   AI'm (x02220@1)a wanted man lookin' for a place to hide"
DOh, (xx0232@1)we finished the coffee and we got in the car
We drove off and hadn't gone far
G (320003@1)                                     DWhen (xx0232@1)Tom began to tell me his sad story...
He said "Long around 1942
Buddy, I robbed a bank in Kalamazoo
Just to get enough money to marry my true darlin'
But she died when she heard what I had done
And ever since I've been on the run
Standing on the hi-ways a callin'
F (133211@1)     Em (022000@1)           AmA (x02210@1)callin' mister won't you give me a ride
F (133211@1)     Em (022000@1)           Am (x02210@1)                           AI'm (x02220@1)a wanted man lookin' for a place to hide"
DSaid (xx0232@1)"Now I'm gettin' old and ready to die
Too tired to run and too sick to try
G (320003@1)                                     DAnd (xx0232@1)soon I'll be hitchin' upstairs in the skyway..."

[spoken]
Oh, play that again...

DHe (xx0232@1)said "I can't pay you for the ride
Just once before I die
G (320003@1)                             DI'd (xx0232@1)like to do somebody a favor"
And out of his pocket came a rusty old key
Along with a map and he give 'em to me
And said "Here's an end to all your labor"
F (133211@1)             Em (022000@1)           Am"Way (x02210@1)down in Greensboro, Tennessee
F (133211@1)             Em (022000@1)           Am (x02210@1)           AIn (x02220@1)the back of Rusty's Roadside Cabaret
DThere's (xx0232@1)20,000 in unmarked green
The money I stole that's in the machine
G (320003@1)                                             DThat (xx0232@1)hangs on the wall in Rusty's Roadside men's room"

So, three nights later at Rusty's door
I had a beer and then I had one more
Then I headed for the treasure
Just like old Turnpike Tom had said
The machine was under a sign which read
Sanitary 3-for-a-quarter
F (133211@1)             Em (022000@1)           AmSo (x02210@1)I took out the key and I broke the lock
F (133211@1)             Em (022000@1)           Am (x02210@1)           AThere (x02220@1)to my bewilderment and shock
DI (xx0232@1)found a sign which read "You've just been had
In a sanitary way by Turnpike Tom
G (320003@1)                             DThe (xx0232@1)outlaw with the fastest sense of humor"
And if you meet someone with a troubled mind
Well, just give him the key and feed him the line
And tell him his days will soon be better
F (133211@1)             Em (022000@1)           Am (x02210@1)   
Yes, and mister, you've been taken for a ride
F (133211@1)             Em (022000@1)           Am (x02210@1)                   AThere (x02220@1)ain't nothin' but fools gold here inside
DOh, (xx0232@1)the real gold, that's inside us all
Remember that you only fall for
G (320003@1)                             DLies (xx0232@1)and stories when you really want to