I gave my woman half my money at the general store
I said: now buy a little groceries and don't spend no more
But she paid ten dollars for a ten cent hat
And bought some store-bought cat food for that mean-eyed cat

When I woke up this mornin' and I turned my head
There wasn't a cotton pickin' thing on her side of the bed
I found a little ol' note, where her head belonged
It said: Dear John, honey, baby, I'm long gone

When I heard a whistle blowin' and the big wheels a-turnin'
I was scared as I could be
I put on my overalls and I headed to town
Gonna bring her back with me

I asked the man down at the station if he'd seen her there
I told him all about her pretty eyes and long, blonde hair
He spit his tobacco, said, I'll be dad blamed
I believe I did see her leavin' on the east-bound train

I bought a round-trip ticket on the east bound train
I was broke as I could be
But when I come back, I gotta buy another ticket
Gonna bring her back with me

Well, I got off the train somewhere in Arkansas
And I worked up the guts to call my mother-in-law
She said, I'll tell you where she is, if you act right
She's workin' four-to-twelve at Trucker's World tonight

Well, when I walked in she saw me and she took off her apron
And she grabbed her goin'-home hat
She bought a ticket with her tips. Now we're curled up on the sofa
Me and her and that mean-eyed cat