[INTRO - Slow blues progression, electric guitar crying, Hammond organ swelling] (Spoken over music, weary but honest) I said "I'll quit tomorrow" for two years straight And I meant it every single time... [VERSE 1 - Raw, confessional] Started dancing at twenty-two, said it's temporary Just 'til I save enough, just 'til I'm ready By twenty-eight I had eight thousand saved Spent it all on powder and the lies I made Told myself "Two years, I'll be clean" Lasted four days, then a week, then a dream That died every morning when the shaking came And I'd reach for that baggie, whisper my name— "Tomorrow, Jasmine, tomorrow you'll be free" But tomorrow kept running away from me [CHORUS - Building, organ and backing vocals entering] I'm on the plateau, where nothing falls or climbs Just functional misery, buying borrowed time Saying "I'll quit tomorrow" like a prayer I believe But the plateau don't care how bad you wanna leave Not at rock bottom, not at the top Just stuck in the middle where the hope don't stop Lying to yourself in a way that's true— "I'll quit tomorrow"— And you mean it too... [VERSE 2 - Narrative, specific] Mattie from the market kept bringing me food I'd smile, say thanks, throw it away—understood That eating meant feeling, and feeling meant pain So I stayed on the powder, stayed in the rain Sam rolled up at 5 AM, "Need a ride?" I'd shake my head no, kept walking—my pride But they didn't judge me, didn't walk away They just kept showing up, every single day For two years they watched me waste away Didn't force me to change, didn't make me stay They just refused to let me disappear And somehow that kept me here [PRE-CHORUS - Tension building] (Backing vocals echoing) Two years... two years... "I'll quit tomorrow" Two years... two years... "I swear tomorrow" [CHORUS - Full band, emotional] I'm on the plateau, where nothing falls or climbs Just functional misery, buying borrowed time Saying "I'll quit tomorrow" like a prayer I believe But the plateau don't care how bad you wanna leave Not at rock bottom, not at the top Just stuck in the middle where the hope don't stop Lying to yourself in a way that's true— "I'll quit tomorrow"— And you mean it too... [BRIDGE - Spoken/sung, vulnerable breakthrough] (Music drops to just quiet guitar and organ) October 15th, 2023 I woke up at 2 PM, nothing dramatic to see Just stared at that baggie for twenty minutes straight And thought: (Sung softly, almost whispered) "I'm tired..." (Building back slowly) Not tired of using Not tired of dancing Just tired of waking up And disappointing myself Before I even got out of bed (Full band crashes back) So I flushed it Not because I hit bottom Not because something magical came I flushed it 'cause I finally had enough Of living on the plateau Saying the same damn name— [CHORUS - Triumphant but still raw] I left the plateau, didn't fall or fly Just walked off the edge on a random Tuesday night No more "I'll quit tomorrow," no more the same refrain Just Mattie with a sandwich saying "Eat, Jasmine" Not at rock bottom, not on the top Just people who showed up and refused to stop They didn't rescue me, didn't pull me through— They just kept showing up 'Til I was ready to... [VERSE 3 - Redemption, full circle] (Tempo shifts, hopeful but grounded) Now I work in Vegas with a mini-fridge full Of sandwiches Mattie makes for the broken and the bull- Headed people who say "I'll quit" and mean it every time Living on that plateau, thinking they've run out of time Michael Torres walked in, said "I need to quit" I smiled soft and said "I know—but you ain't there yet" "How long you been saying tomorrow?" He laughed, said "Two years" I handed him a sandwich, said "Welcome here" [FINAL CHORUS - Call and response, communal] (Lead vocal) You're on the plateau— (Choir responds) We see you there Where nothing falls or climbs— But we still care Saying "I'll quit tomorrow"— We believe you do And when you're ready— We'll be waiting for you (All together, powerful) Not at rock bottom, don't need to fall that far We'll meet you on the plateau, right where you are With a sandwich and patience and a place to land— We won't rescue you We'll just hold your hand... [OUTRO] (Spoken softly over guitar) Three years later, Sam wrote me a letter Said "I ate the sandwich on the third visit" "First thing I'd eaten in three days" "You were right—can't make good decisions on an empty stomach" (Guitar sustains, organ fades) So I keep the mini-fridge stocked Keep showing up Keep handing out sandwiches Keep saying: (Final whispered line) "Eat first... then we talk about what happens next
