A Week In A Country Jail

Tom T. Hall

One time I spent a week inside a little country jail

And I don't guess I'll ever live it down

I was sittin' at a red light when these two men came and got me

And said that I was speeding through their town



Well, they said,tomorrow morning you can see the judge then go.

They let me call one person on the phone

I thought I'd be there overnight so I just called my boss

To tell him I'd be off but not for long



Well, they motioned me inside a cell with seven other guys

One little barred up window in the rear

My cellmates said if they had let me bring some money in

We ought to send the jailer for some beer



Well, I had to pay him double 'cause he was the man in charge

And the jailer's job was not the best in town

Later on his wife brought hot bologna, eggs and gravy

The first day I was there I turned it down



Well, next morning they just let us sleep but I was up real early

Wonderin' when I'd get my release

Later on we got more hot bologna, eggs and gravy

And by now I wasn't quite so hard to please



Two days later when I thought that I had been forgotten

The sheriff came in chewin' on a straw

He said, where is the guy who thinks that this is indianapolis?

I'd like to talk to him about the law.

Well, I told him who I was and told him I was working steady

And I really should be gettin' on my way

That part about me bein' who I was did not impress him

He said, the judge'll be here any day.



The jailer had a wife and let me tell you she was awful

But she brought that hot bologna every day

And after seven days she got to lookin' so much better

I asked her if she'd like to run away



The next mornin' that old judge took every nickel that I had

And he said, son, let this teach you not to race.

The jailer's wife was smilin' from the window as I left

In thirty minutes I was out of state