Chicago Story

(Tom T. Hall)



At the airport in Chicago Sunday night

A soldier and his pretty wife came by

She had brought him there to send him off to war

I heard him say now don't cry anymore.



Unashamed they kissed each other there

He ran his fingers through her pretty hair

Once or twice she tried but could not speak

I saw the teardrops rolling down her cheeks.



She said now don't you worry I'll be true

I'll hope and pray no harm will come to you

I thought to myself good Lord what a shame

It made me stop and wonder who's to blame.



That airport looked so big and then so small

I couldn't hold a teardrop back at all

He turned and ran to catch his waiting plane

She stood there crying calling out his name.



She watched his plane go up into the sky

She waited until it was out of sight

Then she smiled and I thought Lord she's lost her mind

But she reached into her purse and got a dime.



She was smiling as she dropped the money in

She was smiling as she let the number ring

And as I left I heard her say into the phone

I'll be over later lover boy he's gone...