Vacation Day

While living and working in Mazatlan, Mexico I wrote a piece for the Mazatlan Messenger about needing a vacation in my vacation location. This song evolved from that story. Met a gringa lady pal one evening who lived and worked in Mazatlan, like me, and I told her about my occasional vacation days - walking down the beach hitting several beach-front pools and bars, etc. We decided she'd join me on my next "vacation day". As usual, in Mexico, that day had it's share of unpredictability. “Vacation Day (In a Town That Never Needed One)” [Intro] You ever need a vacation… from your vacation? Yeah… me neither… until I moved to Mazatlán. [Verse] Workin’ phones and emails all day long, Palm trees swayin’ but I’m still logged on, Ocean’s callin’ but I can’t break free — So I scheduled a day… to escape me. Met a gringa pal under palm tree shade, Sippin’ cervezas on a hot summer day, Said “let’s be tourists in our own backyard,” She smiled and said, (pause) [Female voice, light, playful] “well that don’t sound hard.” [Pre-Chorus] Bus stop bakin’ like an open oven door, Sweatin’, sufferin’ never been this hot before! She just laughed and tried to say —(pause) [Female voice, warm, slightly exaggerated, melting tone] “I… am… meltin’… away…” [Chorus] It’s a vacation day in a vacation town, Tryin’ to slow this whole thing down, From pool to beer to ocean spray — We’re workin’ hard at gettin’ away. Tryin’ to get lost, a little breakin’ free, A little sunburn therapy, If paradise gets in your way — Hey, take a vacation day. [Verse] Slipped off the bus, made a dash inside, Fancy hotel pool and a place to hide, Dropped our towels like we owned the scene — Only gringos anyone’s seen. Didn’t take long — polite but firm, “Are you guests here?” (well… we squirm), Got escorted out in record time — So much for that pool bein’ mine. [Pre-Chorus] It’s summer now, gringos have all but disappeared Only locals allowed now, sippin’ on those beers Used to show up like I owned the place… Guess I lost my gringo grace. [Chorus]] It’s a vacation day in a vacation town, Security guards keep chasin’ us down, From pool to pool we slip and sway — Just tryin’ to earn our getaway A little bold, a little stray, A little rule-breakin’ along the way, If paradise won’t let you stay — Just keep movin’ anyway. [Verse 3] Next stop in — we made it through, Crowded pool with a questionable hue… Wrappers floatin’, things unknown, Stuff I wish I’d never been shown. Long black hair… short curly fear… Something brushed by — we outta here! Didn’t discuss, didn’t debate — Just launched ourselves as we escaped. Looked at her, she looked at me — Silent mutual emergency, We jumped out fast, no words to say — Need an ocean rinse right away! [Bridge] Costa breeze and a bucket of beers, Talkin’ ‘bout those long-gone golden years, Swim-up bars and neon nights, Jungle Juice and faded lights. Time rolls on but some things stay — Salt and sun don’t fade away, We chat of long-lost time and tide… Our separate pasts on this Mexican ride. [Chorus] A vacation day in an evolving town, Some things lost and some still found, Between the past and yesterday — We’re floatin’ through on a borrowed day. A little laugh, a little sway, A little driftin’ far away, If time won’t stop along the way — We’ll steal a gringo vacation day. [Verse 4] Pancho’s still got that ocean view, Cold beer waitin’ like it used to do, Burger and a salty breeze — That’s about all a man might need. Years go by but here we are, Same old table, same old bar, Some things change, some never do — And somehow… it still feels true. [Break] Four pools… four beers… couple miles of sand… This vacation thing… is work. [Final Verse] Bus ride back in the evenin’ glow, Cool air driftin’, takin’ it slow, Looked at her, not meaning to say — A Huck Finn goof at the end of the day… “Hey… are you wet?” — oh Lord, I froze… Wrong damn words and my brain just knows, She turned and smiled, I backtracked fast — “Clothes! I meant your clothes!” we laughed. [Final Chorus] It’s a vacation day in a sea side scene, Where time slips by over sand and marine A little sun and a little play — That’s all we needed anyway. A shared laugh and a warm goodbye, She goes her way and I go mine If life gets tangled in the fray — Take a vacation day… Take a well-earned vacation day. [Outro] Walkin’ home… the sun droppin’ low… Stranger smiles… and I smile back. Yeah… I think I needed that.