It's the Quiet Miles

Intro - 0:00
(Acoustic guitar fingerpicking sets the tempo, joined by a gentle pedal steel swell)
​[Verse 1 - 0:15]
The streetlights flicker on along Fourth Street
As the shadow of the water tower grows
I’m wrapping up the shift down at the hardware store
Sorting copper wire and garden hoses
No neon sign calling out my name tonight
Just the quiet hum of the evening chill
Watching clouds roll over the distant ridge
Where the pine trees stand so still
​[Chorus - 0:45]
It’s the quiet miles between the start and the end
Where you learn to hear what the wind has to say
Not looking for a miracle or a second chance
Just watching how the twilight fades away
Yeah, the road goes straight, and the horizon's wide
Finding peace in the simple grace inside
​[Verse 2 - 1:15]
Stopped by the diner to grab a cup to go
The waitress nods, doesn't need to ask
We talk about the frost that’s coming late this year
And how time moves when you're looking back
She checks the clock on the wood panel wall
Says the weekend crowd should be coming through
I leave a couple quarters on the formica counter
And step out into the evening dew
​[Chorus - 1:45]
It’s the quiet miles between the start and the end
Where you learn to hear what the wind has to say
Not looking for a miracle or a second chance
Just watching how the twilight fades away
Yeah, the road goes straight, and the horizon's wide
Finding peace in the simple grace inside
​[Outro - 2:15]
(Pedal steel takes over the lead melody, slowly trailing off)
Just the simple grace inside...
(Acoustic guitar fades out slowly)
End - 2:30