Two Dollar Miracle

I had a plan at twenty-two:

a boat, a house, a name in lights,

had the whole thing on a napkin

and I lost the napkin somewhere.

What I got instead is smaller —

got a stoop, got a fan, got a lemon ice,

got a corner where the breeze comes through

about a quarter after eight.

And I waited all my young life

for the big thing to arrive —

Turns out it's a two-dollar miracle! (two-dollar miracle!)

Cold drink, warm night, good song. (good song!)

All that time I saved my happy

for a day that never came —

now I'm spending it in nickels

and I've never been so rich.

Two-dollar miracle, baby.

Come and get your change.

Man down the block got everything:

got the boat, got the second boat,

got a face like a man still waiting

on a delivery that's late.

I asked him how the water was.

He said he hadn't been out yet.

Been meaning to. Been busy.

Been meaning to for years.

So I take my joy in small bills,

I take it while it's warm —

Give me my two-dollar miracle! (two-dollar miracle!)

Fried fish, front step, your hand. (your hand!)

All that time I saved my happy

like it kept better in the dark —

it don't keep. It don't keep.

Spend it while it's soft.

Two-dollar miracle, baby.

Come and get your change.

Two-dollar miracle! (two-dollar miracle!)

Cold drink, warm night, good song.

All that time I saved my happy

for a day that never came —

so here's the whole philosophy,

and it fits inside a dollar:

the small stuff is the big stuff.

Nobody told me. I'm telling you.