Dad's Truck Keys in a Dish by the Door

Lyrics

Dad's truck keys in a dish by the door
Where he put them when the doctor said no more
No more driving after dark, no more
Highway miles at ninety-two
He used to haul his cattle through the night
Now he watches taillights from the porch light
And says the engine still sings to him
Like it always used to do

Let him hold the keys, let him hold the wheel
In the way that a man still can
Let him tell the road, let him tell it all
I'll be the one who drives the van
He taught me how to shift and steer
He taught me how to stand
So I'll drive, Dad, you just ride along
And tell me where the good roads land

Sunday I came by and he was waiting
Cap on his head and his boots laced tight
Said, "Son, I know a road out past the county line
Where the sunset goes on for miles"
So I put him in the passenger seat
And I drove with his hand upon the dash
And he pointed at the fence posts, counting
Like a boy who found his smile

Let him hold the keys, let him hold the wheel
In the way that a man still can
Let him tell the road, let him tell it all
I'll be the one who drives the van
He taught me how to shift and steer
He taught me how to stand
So I'll drive, Dad, you just ride along
And tell me where the good roads land

Time takes the keys from every hand
That's the way it goes
But love just changes seats, that's all
And the road, the road still knows

Let him hold the keys, let him hold the wheel
In the way that a man still can
Let him tell the road, let him tell it all
I'll be the one who drives the van
He taught me how to shift and steer
He taught me how to stand
So I'll drive, Dad, you just ride along
And tell me where the good roads land

Keys in the dish by the door
Light left on, light left on