Christmas On The Road

It's a minute after midnight
So now it's Christmas day
And I'm halfway on a trip
From Mississippi to LA
It wasn't always like this
I didn't always spend holidays alone
But it's been like this many times
Since a truck became my home

My thoughts first drift back
To Christmas as a kid
And what a sight that guitar was
That Mom and Dad somehow bought and kept hid
I just sat and strummed it
And listened to it ring
Then some friends dropped by
And we tried to play and sing
The folks are both gone now
It's been several years
I try not to think about that Christmas
It's hard to drive
With eyes full of tears

Another Christmas day that always comes to mind
Is the one I spent in Vietnam
Where my life was on the line
It sure wasn't cold there
And sure no chance of snow
They served turkey to us troops
And put on a little Christmas show
I rested against my rifle
And tried to have some Christmas cheer
I wondered how much longer
I'd be fighting over here
I guess it felt like Christmas
No chance of going home
Sometimes I think I rather be back there
Than in the cab of this truck all alone

Angels are a part of Christmas
And at twenty three I married one
On our first Christmas day together
She gave us a baby son
Every day was Christmas then
And everything was fine
Until God called my darlin' away
The day before my boy turned nine
I'd really planned a big Christmas
For her and the boy and me
But all we could that morning was cry
Looking at the presents around the tree
Raising the boy alone, I often wondered
How he'd turn out when he got big
He turned out ok I'm happy to say
Last year he started driving his own rig
When I get back from this trip
Pretty soon I'll start out with another load
And maybe we can be together next year
And I want have to settle for Christmas on the road