At the end of the tunnel

Telephones ring
and people don't answer them
sometimes
and then sometimes
people do answer the phones
and on the other end are people they don't want to talk to
and so
the people
who answer the phones get sad
however, very often
the people on the other end of the phone
are people whom the people who answer
the phones want to talk to
and this
is where
our story begins
one drunk, one payphone
two rings and she answers
hello? it's you? i haven't heard from you in years
she'll hang up he thinks
she'll hang up he fears
you're drunk aren't you?
you've had too many beers
oh just one
just one
well...two
where are you? she asks
i'll come pick you up
oh i don't know, some diner
it's cool i've got my truck
she hung up, told him to wait
it's just her luck
after all these years why'd he have to call now?
she's married, this sucks
here you are she says
i've come to pick you up
she takes one good look
one look...two looks
she can read him just like he is a book
you're pale, she says
what's wrong, he shook
he shudders, like death itself is how he looked
i'm dead...i'm dead...too dead
you're silly you're alive, you're here with me
you don't understand, his face streaked with tears
why can't you see?
for as long as i can remember
i've been as dead as can be
i didn't get it either
until i met a man who made me free
with these words
met a man who made me free
with these words
there's a light at the end of the tunnel
there's a light at the end of the tunnel
and that light is generated by a fire
that i'm gonna fall into and burn for eternity
and then
he was no longer breathing
there at her feet