Steady as a Sunday

You were four years old

Hiding behind her jeans

Tiny boots, tangled hair

Sizing up this stranger in your kitchen

I burned the toast

Just to hear you laugh

You said, “You’re not my dad”

I said, “That’s okay, we can start with that”

I ain’t the one who gave you your last name

I’m the one who showed up to the ballgame

Learned your favorite snack, learned your bedtime show

Sat in every cheap seat, front row

I’m not the man who held you your first day

I’m the man who’s here now, come what may

You don’t have to call me dad if you don’t want to

But I’ll love you like I do

Science fair glue

All over the table

We stayed up late

Building crooked castles out of cable

First broken heart

You slammed that bedroom door

I waited on the hallway carpet

Till you cried it out on the floor

I ain’t the one who gave you your last name

I’m the one who waited in the rain

Outside that school when the world felt mean

Driving home slow, letting you just breathe

I’m not the man who held you your first day

I’m the man who’s here now, come what may

You don’t have to call me dad if you don’t want to

But I’ll love you like I do

One day you’ll leave this little town

Box of photos, truck packed down

If someone asks you who I am

You can call me anything

I’ll still be your biggest fan (oh yeah)

I ain’t the one who gave you your last name

But I painted it on every game-day sign you waved

From your training wheels to your first tattoo

Every clumsy step, I was learning you

I’m not the man who held you your first day

I’m the man who’s here now, come what may

You don’t have to call me dad if you don’t want to

But I’ll love you

Yeah, I’ll love you like I do