Love You Goodbye

He was thinkin' back when he was a kid
 His folks were divorced
 His old man high on somethin'
 Came knockin' at the door
 His mama wouldn't talk to him
 She said, "Boy, don't you let him in"
 She was cussin' and pacin'
 And wastin' her life at that linoleum floor
 He took him back to his old apartment
 Turned off the TV
 His beautiful broken hero on the couch
 Passed out asleep
 And he put him to bed
 With tears in his eyes
 He said, "Dad, I love you, goodbye"
 He headed out into the night
 Seventeen years old
 Fired up that rusty old pickup
 Turned his collar to the cold
 And he headed back to Mama's place
 Ready for his big escape
 And he tiptoed up the stairs
 And left a note in the cover's fold
 It said, "Mom, I wish I could wave a wand
 And make you smile again
 Bring back the man who stole your heart
 'Fore the demons got to him"
 "If I stay here any longer
 Somethin' sacred's gonna die"
 He said, "Mom, I love you, goodbye"
 Took a lot of wrong turns
 On the road findin' his life
 By the grace of God he ended up
 With a boy and a wife
 And the phone call came from his sister
 'Twas that old familiar pain
 His mother was at the doorstep
 Of Heaven's pure white light
 At the end of the service
 His father came up to him
 Clear eyed and sober now
 He said, "Boy, Jesus took my sins"
 "And I pray someday
 Maybe you'll forgive me too"
 With tears in his eyes
 He said, "Son, I love you, goodbye"
 His plane touched down in Texas
 He pulled out his phone
 Dialed in the number
 Got the machine of his old man's home
 He said, "Dad we got an extra room
 And your grandson has your eyes"
 Couldn't say anything else
 'Cause he started to cry
 And he choked out
 "Dad, I love you, goodbye
 Dad, I love you, goodbye"