[Verse 1]
They said “step out for a moment”
So I stared at the vending machine glow
Counting the coins in my pocket
Like that mattered at all
Coffee that tastes like a Tuesday
Stale and a little too thin
Reading the same old “No Smoking” sign
Till the letters start sinking in
[Chorus]
There is life outside these walls
Kids and car horns
Someone laughing down the hall
But in here it’s numbers
Monitors and charts
You in a bed
Them talking in parts
Between the beeps and the quiet room
I’m losing you
In white shoes in the waiting room
[Verse 2]
Doctor says “stable
For now”
Like weather that might turn fast
Explains the scans with a ballpoint pen
On a printout I can’t grasp
I bring you stories from the driveway
The neighbor’s new dog
My late-night shows
You nod off halfway through each one
Your hand colder than it was last month
[Chorus]
There is life outside these walls
Gardens growing
Someone painting their front door
But in here it’s dosage
Levels and lines
You fade a little more between the times
Between the beeps and the quiet room
I’m losing you
In white shoes in the waiting room
[Bridge]
I used to call you for every small thing
Now I google words I’m scared to say (oh)
They talk in phrases like “quality of life”
While I memorize the patterns on your gown today
[Chorus]
There is life outside these walls
Sunset traffic
Friends who never call
And in here it’s whispers
Midnight rounds
You breathing shallow
I can’t make a sound
Between the beeps and the quiet room
I’m losing you
In white shoes in the waiting room