OGM - Loudon Wainwright III

The OGM on our machine

Began with we’re not here now

But you went and changed the «we» to «no one»

Do you mean us or me?

Your new outgoing voice

Sounds bright and brave and very clear now

In those seconds you recorded it

I guess that you felt free

I started out my message

With a pause that I aborted

When I addressed you oddly

By your given Christian name

Then I told you who was calling you

That felt downright sordid

But if I sounded sad and timid

I achieved my aim

There’s a machine where I’m staying

That displays a big fat zero

But last night I arrived

To find a scary bright red one

So I pressed play and pretty soon

I could feel all my fear go

The few silent seconds that you’d left me

Are erased and gone now

Tonight at last we finally spoke

You sounded rather giddy

You said you’d had a few drinks

And you’d been playing with the cat

When I told you that I missed you

Your reply to me was «Really?»

Then you said you might have found

Someone to share the flat

I said I’d call in a few days

You know I’ll keep my promise

Yes I miss you, is it over?

I don’t really know

As for any messages

I’ll try to keep them honest

And when I hear that no one’s there now

I’ll just scream…"hello"