The Red Light

I said it badly at the diner / I know I said it badly / You looked down at your coffee / I looked outside instead / You said, That's not what I meant / I said, I know / Then spent the next five minutes / Explaining what you meant / I could've stopped there / I should've stopped there / But I kept adding words / Until the waiter brought the check / Now I'm driving past the station / It's two seventeen / Your street is three blocks over / I don't need to go that way / I hear the conversation / Like a song I can't turn off / Changing one word at a time / Trying to make it less wrong / In one version I stay quiet / In one version I make you laugh / In one version I say nothing / And somehow that's the best one / I keep going back / To the part where I went wrong / I keep changing one sentence / Like the past will play along / I keep going back / To the look you gave me then / Maybe you forgot it happened / Maybe I'll remember it again / At the next red light / I practice what I'd say / If you called me from your apartment / And asked me to explain / I'd tell you I was tired / I'd tell you I was scared / I'd tell you that I cared too much / And didn't know what that meant / Then the light turns green / And I laugh at myself / Talking to an empty passenger seat / Like you're sitting there / I keep going back / To the part where I went wrong / I keep changing one sentence / Like the past will play along / I keep going back / To the look you gave me then / Maybe you forgot it happened / Maybe I'll remember it again / Maybe it wasn't important / Maybe you were just tired / Maybe I built a whole disaster / Out of one unfinished sentence / Maybe tomorrow morning / I won't remember the details / Maybe I'll drive this road again / And finally let it pass / But tonight / I'm still here / Tonight / I'm still replaying it / I keep going back / To the part where I went wrong / I keep changing one sentence / Like the past will play along / I keep going back / But the road keeps moving on / The city changes at the traffic lights / And I'm still singing your response / I keep going back / Until I don't know why / Maybe some conversations / Only end when you stop trying / Two seventeen / Three blocks from your street / I keep driving / I keep driving