At the Parallel

He stands by the doors of the Rex all night
Chain-smoking Celtas
His eyes trouble more than one woman
His voice is heavy and deep
There’s dirt on the sidewalk
And the newsboys yell
Nothing ever changes at the Parallel
Nothing ever changes at the Parallel

    There’s a girl at the Molino
    She wears a leather coat
    The dust of Barcelona
    Sticks to her heels as she walks through the door
    And he thinks “What the hell does she come here for?
    Maybe she wants me, and that’s her way to say it
    Maybe she wants me, and that’s her way to say it
    Maybe she wants me, but who am I to tell?”

He bites his fingernails
Scratches his eyebrows
Lights another cigarette
Watching the queens of the street
Acting their parody of love
And he feels like he stands by the gates of hell
Nothing ever changes at the Parallel
Nothing ever changes at the Parallel

    There’s a girl at the Molino
    She wears a leather coat
    The dust of Barcelona
    Sticks to her heels as she walks through the door
    And he thinks “What the hell does she come here for?
    Maybe she wants me, and that’s her way to say it
    Maybe she wants me, and that’s her way to say it
    Maybe she wants me, but who am I to tell?”