12 O'Clock Whistle

the air raid siren
at the high school blew
every weekday, twelve o'clock noon
"dinner time, people"
as if we didn't know
I guess the city fathers
liked to hear that thing blow

the boys were chasing the city truck
spraying DDT
it kept the mosquitoes down
"that stuff won't hurt 'em none"
I heard the neighbor lady say
"encephalitis, now that can ruin your day"

granny was hanging out wash
talking across the fence
the neighbor lady nodded like it all made sense
"she's just gonna stay with him 'till the kids are grown
fetch me that clothes pin up off the ground would you hon"

(chorus)
won't you stay with me
'till the sun goes down
on that flat top mountain to the West of town
won't you stay a while
I just don't see
why you must be leaving
won't you stay with me

I had a cherry coke dripping on my cowboy clothes
riding down Scott street in that big white Olds
"we're going through nigger town, honey lock your door
'course that's not what we're supposed to call 'em anymore"
"we're going to the beauty shop, it's not far
you can come inside or you can just set in the car"
"no you can't go with grandpa to the pasture today
they're shipping calves and you'd just get in the way"

(chorus)

we had fried okra
and black eyed peas
granny had her saccharin
she was putting it in her tea
"pull that screen door to hon,
you're letting in flies
don't you know nothing"

"yonder comes the pickup
he's coming down the street
run help him put the horses up so we can eat
he's always late for dinner
lord he moves so slow
twelve o'clock whistle blew
half an hour ago"

(chorus)