Diesel, Disaronno. Dirt & Hurt

Once, he gargled mouthwash, to wash away the jack
twice he checked her bookbag - made sure she had her snacks
three times he checked her shoes, made sure they were tied
Melanie's mother usually drives, but today she lies sick in bed
Daddy's driving Mel today - sober up with some water, bread
Daddy's starts his pickup and Melanie squeals; amused
Little baby Mel always loved going for a cruise
but only with daddy because he lets her sit in the front
But she's only five - an airbag would eat her alive
daddy's more interested in nursing a flask with his foot on the gas
tells her its his morning medicine, it keeps the monsters away
Melanie asks him why he thinks there are monsters during the day
Daddy sighs hard and says well...as he takes another swig
You're too young to understand sweetie, maybe when you're big
Melanie barely makes it safely to school, snowy weather, skid after skid
Ignorance is bliss and Melly's joyride is the definition of it

Dad's a little sad because mom isn't really sick
mom's got a little vice of her own -
in fact, shes a bigtime heroin addict
sweet Melanie never had a chance at a normal life
When at 5 years old, her parents, husband & wife
took their last sip - plunged the final drip
and in the oddest of synchronicity one final harmony
two in love with two loves, or maybe three
since they didn't drop their habit, it's hard to see
if those two loved their poisons, instead of poor Melanie

and now shes 5, fully alive, burying her mom and dad
and doesn't even know what illness her mom had
she knows her dad wrapped his truck around a tree
hit a snowbank, slid off the road and he couldn't see
the police found a note in the glovebox - but they didn't tell Melanie

it simply read

"If it wasn't for my beautiful daughter, my wife would be the death of me."

Mel looks around and she sees people weeping
She doesn't understand, aren't they just sleeping?
And why are they being covered with dirt - or is that sand?
are they playing make-believe at the beach, and catching a tan?

"You'll understand when you're big"
With crystal clear recall - she remembers that final swig
Responsible for the hole mommy & daddy now lie in
It clicks in Melanie's head and she begins to cry
this is death, they've gone to the other side
they left her alone in the world at the tender age of five
she pleads "why why why" with the casket
almost as if she is asking it
to give her parents back because she's just a kid
she never really knew what her mother did
daddy was always in his underwear, breath a little smelly
but it was okay with his honeybear - his sweet Melly

Melanie breathes deep and says the unexpected
with a profound realization well beyond her years
rubbing her eyes, as they fill with tears
She must be big now because she fully understands
the daytime monsters were always in mommy and daddy's hands
mommy with that pokey device Mel doesn't like
daddy with that big metal flask, contents? she didn't ever ask

she says aloud, her cry a piercing shriek as tears stream down her cheeks
"Hopefully there's no heaven for those who don't fight monsters during the day
It really didn't have to end like this, at least not this way
Bonnie's mom got a divorce and that was bad as well,
But this is far worse - mommy and daddy are going straight to hell"

suddenly the commune gasps, and gasps slowly turn to claps
because a five year old was the only one who had the guts to say
no one should be at this funeral - this was not okay
Fully aware of life and death, beginning and early end
a little bit earlier, before her daddy kissed her goodbye
and said "see ya later babygirl, at 2:10"