Fourteen Days

(Steve Goodman)

Emmylou Harris & Steve Goodman



When Johnny got the letter

It had no return address,

But he recognized the writing

And he didn't have to guess.



The postmark said Seattle

Just a thousand miles away,

So he put it in the drawer

For fourteen days



Every night he'd take that envelope

And hold it up to the light,

But he never tore it open

To see what lay inside.



He remembered how it hurt

The night she turned and walked away,

So he kept the letter sealed

For fourteen days.



Fourteen days it lay unopened,

Fourteen days it stayed unread,

Fourteen nights he dreamed about her

In what use to be their bed.



Though his heart and soul were achin'

Johnny's pride got in the way,

So he kept the letter sealed

For fourteen days.

Piano and guitar break



And then one night he couldn't stand it

Johnny took it from the drawer,

He read the words she'd sent to him

Just two short weeks before.



The tears fell hard as Johnny read

The words she had to say,

'Boy I'm coming home to you

In fourteen days".



'Dear John: I know I hurt you

But I pray that you'll forgive.

And if you don't take me back again,

Then, I don't want to live.

If you're there when I step off the plane,

Then I'll be yours, always.

I arrive at four p.m. in fourteen days."



--- Instrumental ---



Johnny raced out to the airport

On the chance that she might wait,

But the terminal was empty

And he knew he was too late.



He cursed himself for letting

Hs one true love slip away,

For a letter that he held

For fourteen days.



Fourteen days it lay unopened

Fourteen days it stayed unread,

Fourteen nights he dreamed about her

And the good times that they had



And Johnny knew he lost her

And there was nothing left to say,

He tore up the note he'd held

For fourteen days.



Now the next day in Seattle

The morning headline read,



'Another Jane Doe Suicide

Young Girl Lying Dead.'

Scrawled upon the crumpled piece of paper where she lay,

"I'm coming home to you in fourteen days.'