I Can’t Stand ( The Rest of the Year)

I did two tours over in the sand
Never took the life of another man
“Non-combat” was my official role
But the heat and sun they took their toll
And blood I saw, but not my own
I wake in the night to a soldier’s groan
It’s hell to live in constant fear
Lord help me through the rest of the year.
 
Got back to the states in all one piece
The damage inside was pretty well hid
But the nightmares they would never cease
My thoughts boiled up underneath my lid
One day I finally blew my stack
Couldn’t handle the images in my head
Grabbed the .22 off the old gun rack
And prayed to God I would soon be dead
Went out to the barn to finish the deed
Grabbed a bullet and my Bible for one last read
But God wasn’t ready for me to retire
When I pulled the trigger the gun misfired
I’m now part deaf in my left ear
And I live my life in a wheelchair.
 
The flags go up when the leaves fall down
It’s Veteran’s Day in my home town
Sittin’ down over at Catie’s Café
Everyone fightin’ each other for who’s gonna pay
Drinks on the house up at the V
For 24 hours it’s good to be me
I gotta admit that it ain’t all bad
And I ain’t angry, I ain’t mad
Just wanting the other side for you to hear
‘Cause I can’t stand the rest of the year.
 
At the high school gym, they prop me in line
Thank me for my courage, and let me remind
The young and the old of the true price of war
It’s a lot more than blood, guts and gore
While some embellish their service with lies
Other people bear scars you can’t see with your eyes
Wheel me up the ramp, but don’t shed a tear
Just because I can’t stand the rest of the year.