Del Reeves - Phantom 309 lyrics

I was out on the west coast trying to make a buck Things didn't work out I was kinda down on my luck Got tired of roaming and bumming around So I started thumbing back east toward my hometown Made a lot of miles the first two days I figured I'd be home in a week if my luck held this way But the third night I got stranded way outside of town At a cold lonely crossroad rain was pouring down I was hungry and I was freezing done caught a chill When the lights of a big semi topped the hill Lord I was sure glad to hear them air brakes come on And I climbed in that cab where I knew it would be warm At the wheel there sat a big man he weighed about 2-10 He stuck out his hand and said with a grin Big Joe's the name I told him mine He said the name of my rig's Phantom 309 I asked him why he called his rig such a name He said son this old Mack can put 'em all to shame There ain't no driver or a rig running any line That's seen nothing but tail lights from Phantom 309 We rode and talked the best part of the night When the lights of a truck stop came in sight He said I'm sorry son this is as far as you go Cause I gotta make another turn just on up the road He tossed me a dime as he pulled her in low And said have yourself a hot cup old Big Joe When Joe and his rig roared out in the night In nothing flat he was clean out of sight I went inside and ordered me a cup Told the waiter Big Joe was setting me up You could've heard a pin drop It got d**hly quiet and the waiter face turned kinda white Did I say something wrong I said with a half way grin He said no this happens every now and then Every driver in here knows Big Joe But son let me tell you what happened bout ten years ago At the crossroads tonight where you flagged him down There was a bus full of kids a comin' from town They were right in the middle when Joe tapped the hill It could have been slaughter but he turned his wheels Joe lost control went into a skid Gave his own life to save that bunch of kids And there at the crossroads was the end of the line For Big Joe and Phantom 309 But every now and then some higher'll come by And like you Big Joe'll give 'em a ride Here have another cup and forget about that dime Keep it as a souvenir from Big Joe and Phantom 309