CactusInACoffeeCan

She had the window and I had the aisle

She looked 25 but she was shaking like a child

When we took off

I looked over and clutched in her hand

There was a cactus in a coffee can

She was holding that thing like it was all that she had

She smiled at me but I could tell she was sad

Somewhere over Denver I asked her her name

She said Elena and told me she came from Santa Fe

She ordered a drink and a wall came down

She started talking and pain poured out

She told me a story I'll never forget

She had me in tears when she looked at me and said

My mama's first love was crack

She made her living lying on her back

And she gave me away on the day that I was born

She said The last ten years I spent tracking her down

It don't seem fair that when I finally found her

She was almost gone

We had two weeks together to laugh and to cry

Two weeks to say hello and goodbye

She gave me this cactus said 'It's kinda like me

It'll hurt you to hold it but it blooms every spring'

She said I'm on my way back to New Mexico

Was gonna scatter these ashes where the desert winds blow

But I came up with a better plan

I'm gonna keep 'em in the bottom of this coffee can

My mama was a tortured soul

I still love her even though

Oh she gave me away on the day I was born

The plane touched down and we both got off

I took her hand and said I'm sorry for your loss

She said Thanks for listening and for being here

I've been wantin' to talk about for so many years

Now I'll probably never see Elena again

We met as strangers and parted as friends

As we waved goodbye I was sure of one thing

There'll be a flower on that cactus come next spring