Phantom 309 - Ferlin Husky

Written by：Faile

I was out on the west coast tryin' to make a buck

And things didn't work out I was down on my luck

Got tired a roamin' and bummin' around

So I started thumbin' back east toward my home town

Made a lot of miles the first two days

And I figured I'd be home in week if my luck held out this way

But the third night I got stranded way out of town

At a cold lonely crossroads rain was pourin' down

I was hungry and freezin' done caught a chill

When the lights of a big semi topped the hill

Lord I sure was glad to hear them air brakes come on

And I climbed in that cab where I knew it'd be warm

At the wheel sit a big man he weighed about two ten

He stuck out his hand and said with a grin

Big joe's the name I told him mine

And he said the name of my rig is phantom 309

I asked him why he called his rig such a name

He said son this old mack can put 'em all to shame

There ain't a driver or a rig a runnin' any line

Ain't seen nothin' but taillights from phantom 309

Well we rode and talked the better part of the night

When the lights of a truck stop came in sight

He said I'm sorry son this is as far as you go

'Cause I gotta make a turn just on up the road

Well he tossed me a dime as he pulled her in low

And said have yourself a cup on old big joe

When joe and his rig roared out in the night

In nothin' flat he was clean out of sight

Well I went inside and ordered me a cup

Told the waiter big joe was settin' me up

Aw you coulda heard a pin drop it got deathly quiet

And the waiter's face turned kinda white

Well did I say something wrong I said with a halfway grin

He said naw this happens every now and then

Ever' driver in here knows big joe

But son let me tell you what happened about ten years ago

At the crossroads tonight where you flagged him down

There was a bus load of kids comin' from town

And they were right in the middle when big joe topped the hill

It could have been slaughter but he turned his wheel

Well joe lost control went into a skid

And gave his life to save that bunch a kids

And there at that crossroads was the end of the line

For big joe and phantom 309

But every now and then some hiker'll come by

And like you big joe'll give 'em a ride

Here have another cup and forget about the dime

Keep it as a souvenir from big joe and phantom 309