[INTRO — SPARSE PIANO, MUTED TRUMPET] He said I could stay. Said I looked beat. I guess I did. I was. [VERSE 1] Antolini's place, late night, no plan, One of the few grown-ups who could stand Talking to me without sounding like a lecture, Didn't treat me like some busted-up semester. He said, “You're heading for a fall,” I said, “Yeah? Well, who isn't?” That's all. He talked about minds, how they come apart, How smart guys can wreck themselves trying to be smart. I listened. I did. I wasn't being a wise guy. For once, I thought maybe the guy was right. [VERSE 2] He said, “The immature man wants to die nobly For a cause, while the mature man wants to live humbly For one.” Something like that. I don't remember every word, but I remember the hat I was wearing, the couch, the sound of his voice, How strange it felt to have somebody make a choice To care what happened to me. Which is a lousy thing to admit, probably. [CHORUS — WARM, RESTRAINED] Don't get too close, don't go away. Tell me the truth, but don't make me stay. I want somebody to know what I mean, Then I get scared when they look at me. Hold me up, let me go— I don't know which one I want more. [VERSE 3] I fell asleep, or I thought I did, Then something happened, and I came up quick. His hand on my head, and I jumped like a wire, Heart doing tricks, whole body on fire. I don't know what he meant. I don't know what I saw. I know how it felt. I know I wanted out. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was something. Maybe I can't stand not knowing. [BREAK — DRUMS CUT, NERVOUS PIANO] Get up. Get dressed. Get out. Don't think. Don't ask. Just move. [VERSE 4] I grabbed my stuff, got the hell out of there, Like the room had teeth, like the air wasn't air. Didn't stop to ask him what he meant, Didn't stick around for the explanation. Funny, I wanted advice, wanted somebody to steer, Then somebody got close and I disappeared. I can talk all night about how people are fake, But I can't take a chance on the ones who might stay. [CHORUS — TENSE, FRAGMENTED] Don't get too close, don't go away. Tell me the truth, but don't make me stay. I want somebody to know what I mean, Then I get scared when they look at me. Hold me up, let me go— I don't know which one I want more. [VERSE 5 — QUIETER, SELF-ACCUSING] Maybe I was right to leave. Maybe I wasn't. That's the part I hate. You can make a whole case for either side And still not know what happened. He gave me a place to sleep. He gave me something to think about. I gave him a door slamming And a kid who couldn't stay. I keep saying I want somebody real, Somebody who doesn't talk like a phony. Then when somebody tries to get through, I start looking for the trick. [BRIDGE — MUTED TRUMPET, SLOW BUILD] Maybe getting close means giving someone A chance to hurt you. Maybe getting close means You might be wrong about them. Maybe I left before he could tell me. Maybe I left before I had to hear it. [FINAL CHORUS — EXPOSED, ALMOST TENDER] Don't get too close— I might need you. Don't go away— I might believe you. Tell me the truth, but don't make me choose Between being safe and being known. Hold me up, let me go— I don't know which one I want more. [OUTRO — BARE PIANO] He said I was heading for a fall. I guess I was. I just didn't know I was already falling.
