Last Day, Old Friend

Last Day, Old Friend

A retirement song · Songbond

0:003:26
A song written from a true story Songbond
The story & lyrics

The story behind this song

Twenty years at the next desk over. The coffee ring tattooed into the wood, the raised eyebrow across the table when a meeting ran too long, the candy drawer stocked for anybody's worst week. One person who knew which printer jammed and who needed checking on, who could make a gray Monday survivable just by being there at nine. The box is packed now, the drawer bare, but the laugh's still hanging in the air.

For the work friend handing in the badge — who made the years golden just by showing up, and isn't really clocking out of anything that mattered.

Lyrics

The box is packed, the drawer is bare
But your laugh's still hanging in the air
Twenty years of nine-o'clocks beside you
Your coffee ring tattooed into that desk
You'd catch my eye when meetings ran too long
One raised brow that said the rest
They'll hire someone for the chair
But not for what was there
Last day, old friend — hand in the badge
Take the long way out the door
You made the gray years golden just by showing up
That's what the speeches never say — so here's ours
Last day, old friend
You knew which printer jammed, who needed checking
Kept a candy drawer for anybody's worst week
The hum of this whole floor will sound different
Monday's gonna look for you and me
We split a thousand lunches here
Let's split one farewell cheer
Last day, old friend — hand in the badge
Take the long way out the door
You made the gray years golden just by showing up
That's what the speeches never say — so here's ours
Last day, old friend
Ten years on, some new kid at your desk
Will never know whose shoulders held this place
But we will — every time the elevator opens
And it isn't your face
Last day, old friend — hand in the badge
Take the long way out the door
You made the gray years golden just by showing up
That's what the speeches never say — so here's ours
Last day, old friend
Lights off, door locked, one last call —
Same time Friday, after all

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