© words and music by j. r. church & garnett betts
Must have stayed long as she could
In her waiting window booth
‘Till I saw her walkin’ by the window
Starting to rain
But the letter she’d been holding
Still held that window booth
With a ticket back to Baltimore
There on the floor
I tried to catch her
Couldn’t help but read the note
A world all on a page
With every word he wrote
This was a window into hope
What courage does it take
To take a chance again?
What courage does it take
Not to make the same mistake?
I tried to catch her – down the street
Won’t soon forget the words I read
See this is what he said:
“I know you haven’t had it easy
Life gets scattered to the wind
But at thirty seven the world has time enough
To give us both a chance again.
So meet me at the Starline
The booth we called our own
And I promise I won’t be late this time
Thanks for coming home
I’ll be waiting for you right here
Where all the years have gone.”
But I, Oh I, though I tried
I couldn’t catch her
Had he pledged again and lost his nerve?
Was he only strong enough in word?
So I tracked her number down
And when she called me back she said,
“Meet me at the Starline, a window booth at two
And put my ticket on the table
That way I will know it’s you.
And thanks again for calling,
Can’t be getting home too soon
But I, oh I, see I called cause I,
I couldn’t catch her
So here I am a little early
In a waiting window booth
Where all the years have gone before
Could years to come, come walking through that door?
All ‘cause I, oh I, ‘Cause I‘Cause I couldn’t catch her