The Basting Stitch

[Verse 1]
The ketchup pump at the concession stand sputters red on her sleeve
Mary-Anne wipes it on her jeans, don't let herself believe
That the chill ain't from the Coke machine but from Friday's last quarter
Watching the mayor's perfect son run for the painted border

[Chorus]
Some folks are the gold thread, the glory and the gleam
Some folks are the basting stitch, the unseen, holding seam

[Verse 2]
A lady in a cashmere coat she fixed the cuff on last week
Says "'Eighty-nine for a jersey? Lord,'" and leaves a silver streak
Of condensation on the formica, a ghost of what she's worth
Mary-Anne just pours the coffee, smells the damp October earth

(Spoken Word Interlude: Stadium Announcer)
(Distant, reverbed) "And a big thank you to Johnson County Coal, powering our Panthers to another victory tonight! That's a first down, folks!"

[Chorus]
Some folks are the gold thread, the glory and the gleam
Some folks are the basting stitch, the unseen, holding seam

[Bridge]
The final horn's a lonely sound if you ain't on the winning side
She watches all the taillights bleed out on the highway wide...

(Song appears to end, fading to a single ambient guitar note and 3 seconds of silence)

[Coda]
Just the buzzing of the floodlights now
And the plastic bags to mend.