BEG OFF

in Costa Rica they had to drag you from the riptide
in their soaked silk button-downs saying gringo's insane
and the Montana ranch hands called you soft
you were leaning on the big mare crying in the horse's mane

I doubt you would have listened
but I should have said something
if it makes any difference

I had to beg off
oh I had to beg off

she closed the window said I can't take the howling
is someone really wounded or are they putting it on?
he said it's not complicated a body likes to hear its name
in the morning not all things of the night will have gone

I doubt you would have listened
but I should have said something
if it makes any difference

I had to beg off
oh I had to beg off

don't know if you meant it but I remember what you said
you said no one ever knows why people do what they do
that was the night you saw a map of the world on the moon
I saw a map of the world on the moon 'cause I wanted to

I doubt you would have listened
but I should have said something
if it makes any difference

I had to beg off
oh I had to beg off

I had to beg off
oh I had to beg off

 — Life With Others (Part I)