Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine - Tom T. Hall

«How old do you think I am?»

he said

I said, Well, I didn’t know

He said, «I turned 65 about 11 months ago»

I was sittin' in Miami pourin' blended whiskey down

When this old gray black gentleman was cleanin' up the lounge

There wasn’t anyone around 'cept this old man and me

The guy who ran the bar was watchin' 'Ironsides' on TV

Uninvited, he sat down and opened up his mind

On old dogs and children and watermelon wine

«Ever had a drink of watermelon wine?»

he asked

He told me all about it, though I didn’t answer back

«Ain't but three things in this world that’s worth a solitary dime

But old dogs and children and watermelon wine»

He said, «Women think about theyselves, when menfolk ain’t around

And friends are hard to find when they discover that you’re down»

He said, «I tried it all when I was young and in my natural prime

Now it’s old dogs and children and watermelon wine»

Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes

God bless little children while they’re still too young to hate

When he moved away I found my pen and copied down that line

'Bout old dogs and children and watermelon wine

I had to catch a plane up to Atlanta that next day

As I left for my room I saw him pickin' up my change

That night I dreamed in peaceful sleep of shady summertime

Of old dogs and children and watermelon wine