I was drivin' home on the boulevard Late one night, when I spied a guy over On the corner, bummin' all alone. Now, as I passed him by I heard him holler out, 'Hey! ' I slowed down, see what he said He hollers-a, 'A-by any chance are you goin' my way? ' I say, 'Why sho' baby, hop on in and gimme a cigarette' Just then he reached down in his pockets And that was the moment I regret. He hollered, 'Reach for the sky' I said, 'But I don't understand, sir? ' 'Don't try no monkey business I've got a stopper in my hand' And then, he says-a, 'A-look-here, you see this here I got in my hand, this is a.38 pistol, built on a.45 frame Shoots tombstone bullets and a ball and chain'. He said, 'Now, I ain't tryin' to shake you up' (And I) 'But I just want you to know, if the cops Start to crowd me any, you gon' be the first to go' 'So, now look-here, don't even look back You just drive on just like ain't nothin' happenin' That's what he told me. He wouldn't even let me look Back at nothin'. He say, 'When I get to that red light' he wanted me To go to my left and then jump back to my right. He says, 'Now-a, I want you to drive up in that alley.' 'Uh-uh, not in that alley, that, that one over there' 'And cool it behind that liquor sto' and keep a sharp Lookout at all times while I sneak in that back do'. That's what he told me! He say, 'Keep my foot on the gas and always Be on guard, 'cause when he come runnin' out there Wit' all that money, he wanted me to mash on it real hard! He said, 'Now, don't let him come out a-d'ere and find me A-double-crossed' Because he'd murder when the heat's on. Sings: Reach for the sky I said, 'But I don't understand, sir' Don't try no monkey business I've got the stopper in my hand Ooo-we, while I was sittin' there just s'ramblin' A spotlight hit me dead in the face. The cop pulled up behind me and said 'Move up alittle bit, man, for we wanna take your place' And then this guy come runnin' outta the sto' With the money in his hand and said, 'Oh, there you are! ' Ha, he made a mistake in the dark and ran and leaped In the police car. When they put the handcuffs on him I said, 'Child, yo' crime have outgrew him' And then they said, 'Yeah, we gonna' put him So far back in jail this time, 'till they gonna have To pump air into him.