The Last Cowboy (at the Bowling Alley)

He picks up his favorite number twelve
Bits of blue still sparkle in its worn shell
The other guys all threw fifteens and sixteens
But they’re gone now anyhow
He takes a long step back
He takes a deep breath
And it flies like it used to
Straight and bygone down the arrows
He stands with one foot in the air
Just a little longer than he needs to
He was the king of the yucca valley
Now he’s just the last cowboy at the bowling alley
There’s an old girl still working at the countr
Janet pops the tops off his Budweisrs
And one time she kissed him in the parking lot
But she pretends not to remember
He takes a long step back
He takes a deep breath
And it flies like it used to
Straight back to 1972
The girls all watched as his right toe tapped
On the polished wood
He was the king of the yucca valley
Now he’s just the last cowboy at the bowling alley
They always said he was the very best
Now he’s just the only one left
Buenas noches señorita
He calls to a pretty lady walking in
Then he frowns at some school kids
They’re just here to kiss in the benches
He takes a long step back
He takes a deep breath
And it flies like it used to
The pins all fall like a strong wind blew
And the kids don’t notice but somewhere in his heart
He wishes they would
He used to play for the money
But there’s no money here anymore
He used to play for the glory—
God but the glory’s gone
He was the king of the yucca valley
Now he’s just the last cowboy at the bowling alley
Buenas noches cowboy