「CAN」

Step up in my corner store, yeah we open all damn night Got that frozen nostalgia, regrets that never die You pay me in your seconds, ain’t no cash up in my hand Every memory for sale, future sittin’ in the can Clock in past midnight, but the clock dead, don’t tick Time wrapped round my finger, watch me flip that quick Got them “almost kisses” sittin’ pretty, sweet with a sting Next to bad decisions drippin’ slow, hear that sorrow sing Dude said “lemme get my past ‘fore I fucked it all up” Said “nah, that shit expired, got a bootleg, close enough” He laughed, then he cracked, copped a ‘91 dream Walked out feelin’ lighter, left his shadow on my scene Receipts say “regret” in some ink that don’t fade Every barcode got a story, every aisle a charade Crack a can, smell summer, yeah it hit you real quick Like a childhood memory that don’t fully stick Step up in my corner store, yeah we open all damn night Got that frozen nostalgia, regrets that never die You pay me in your seconds, ain’t no cash up in my hand Every memory for sale, future sittin’ in the can No cams in the ceiling, just your mind lookin’ back Tryna steal somethin’? leave a piece in the stack Freezer full of heartbreak, all boxed up in blue Thaw it if you want, but it might remember you Shorty walked in silent, asked me “what could’ve been” Said “premium stock, lemme check that back end” Came back with a dusty bottle, label half gone She held it like a secret, then she faded at dawn Boss like a ghost, never seen but he know Writes my shifts in the lives that these people don’t show Said “don’t catch feelings ‘bout the stuff that they buy” But I see me in ‘em all, yeah I can’t even lie Fluorescent buzz hummin’, lullaby in the void Every second stretch thin, somethin’ I can’t avoid If I step from this counter, do I fade, do I age? Am I sellin’ they past… or just stockin’ my cage? Got a jar in the back sayin’ “who I used to be” Lid locked tight, lost the only damn key After hours I can hear that thing callin’ my name Like a version of me I ain’t ready to claim Lil kid pull up, payin’ minutes from his day Buy a taste of that glory, swear he gon’ find a way I just bag up his courage, hope it don’t come back That kinda fire ain’t somethin’ you can learn off a track Door keep ringin’ but ain’t nobody step through Just echoes of roads that we never made true If you pass by my spot, see the sign glitchin’ fast Take a breath ‘fore you enter… you might not leave intact Step up in my corner store, yeah we open all damn night Got that frozen nostalgia, regrets that never die You pay me in your seconds, ain’t no cash up in my hand Every memory for sale… movin’ way too fast