Sermon at the Corner Store

Intro

Bell above the door still cracked, still rings off-key

Otis behind the counter, counting out a debt to me

Never called it charity, called it a loan on trust

Corner store on Ridley Ave, powder in the dust

Verse 1

Twelve years old, sleeve stuffed with a candy bar

Otis caught my wrist before I hit the door too far

Didn't grab the phone, just grabbed a paper pad

Wrote my name in cursive, said this the least you'll have

Sweep this floor a week, that's how you clear the debt

Told me debt ignored just grows to more than sweat

Swept that floor for seven days, dust caught in my throat

Watched him total numbers, watched him mark his notes

Every kid on Ridley owed him something come sixteen

Broken window, borrowed bread, a bottle in between

Never sent a soul to jail, sent 'em to the mop

Said the system got enough of us to lock and stop

Asked him once why not just let the water go

He said water finds the crack, debt does too, you'll know

Closed the ledger, slid it back inside the drawer

Told me come back Friday, there's always something more

Hook

Ledger by the register, my name still in the ink

Every kindness got a debt bigger than you think