Track 6 of the album The Third Chair · 2015
The Last Fare of the Night, Mrs. Ames
“Mrs. Ames rides the same taxi every Thursday from the hospital steps, and the driver told me about her. I changed her name and kept everything else.”
jazz ballad · storysong · late-night · 4:41
Lyrics
She rides every Thursday, near half past two From the hospital steps to the street she knew Mrs. Ames in her coat with the button undone Says, "Take me the long way, I'm in no hurry, son" The last fare of the night A hand on the door, a voice gone light She tells me of dances, a man named Lee How he sang to her softly on the old ferry The last fare of the night I keep the meter off, I keep it right She pays me in stories and a peppermint sweet We pass by the church and the empty street She says, "Lee would have liked you, he loved a good ride" I say, "Ma'am, I'm honoured to be on his side" The last fare of the night A hand on the door, a voice gone light She tells me of dances, a man named Lee How he sang to her softly on the old ferry The last fare of the night I keep the meter off, I keep it right Some rides are not for the money Some rides are for the heart A quiet old lady, a driver, a street And two kind strangers, never to part The last fare of the night A hand on the door, a voice gone light She tells me of dances, a man named Lee How he sang to her softly on the old ferry The last fare of the night I keep the meter off, I keep it right The meter off Goodnight, Mrs. Ames