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