Testo Parade Days

She was born into mourning with some war winding down
And if her uncle was gone at least she’ll be around
At least she’ll be around

Her folks were good neighbors
They dished when somebody died
When the parish did dances
She mostly used to stand off to the side
A Pontiac salesman and a beauty technician
A young mother and father and all the things they wanted for their daughter

And school was a stockyard they just tried to hold them
They didn’t hold too hard
On the bus with her headphones
Breathing steam in the window
Joining forces in boredom
With the boys down at the bluffs all breaking bottles

Then school was just over saw an ad in the paper
A half-life in housewares on the escalator up to downtown Davis
On the sidewalk with sparklers in the distance the drummers
Her favorite part of the summer
Her mother with cupcakes her father with handshakes
It’s an honor and a pleasure to present to you the new Queen of the Lakes
In the grey of the break room there’s a tear on the fabric
The house is all hers now
The first time she noticed
The bags at the bus stop
Our pleasure to present to you the new Queen of the Lakes