Little Joe

Some time ago I was sippin' on some coffee and havin some ham and biscuits
When a motion caught my eye through the truck stop window
It was a little lost puppy half staved and shaking from fear
Well I just had to make friends with him
So I picked him up and put him in the cab
And buddy he took to that truck like he was born there

Well I named him Little Joe
And as I watched him sleep on the seat beside me
That's when I knew that Little Joe would be with me for a long long time

Well a few months later I was talkin to my old friend Teddy Bear on the ol' C.B
Not paying much attention to my back door
When Little Joe started barking up a storm
I looked up and saw a smoky in the mirror and I slowed my rig down just in time
But you know something Teddy Bear heard a Little Joe barking and he said
"Hey big red let me talk to your partner"
And I said "you got it good buddy"
How's your old smoky situation Little Joe and Little Joe said "Ruff"
Ah that just tore him up and the next 200 miles just flew by 'cause everybody on that C.B. wanted to talk to Little Joe

Well one night we were headed through the smokies in East Tennessee
And Little Joe started acting real nervous
I heard the sounds of lightning on the ol' C.B
And suddenly we were in the worst storm that I had ever seen
All at once I saw head lights comin straight at my rig
Someone was blinded in the rain
So I swerved fast and just barely missed a camper full of kids
But the shoulder gave way and we crashed over the side of a mountain

And when I woke up my truck was on fire
And I couldn't move
But somehow Little Joe grabbed me by the collar
And pulled me away from that burning rig
Well I was in the hospital the next time I woke up
And the doctor was there to break the bad news
The accident had taken my sight
Oh god now I can't even drive
And that's when I realized how helpless Teddy Bear must have felt before the miracle happened that made him walk again
And then I thought well now wh... wh... wh... where's Little Joe
No ain't nobody said anything about Little J... Where's Li... awe
I was so sad 'cause I figured Little Joe had given his life to save me

Well my brother ask me to come live with him
And when he opened the door to my new room I heard an old C.B just a blaring away
Well I couldn't wait to grab that mic and the first voice I heard was my old buddy Teddy Bear
Ratchet jawing' in the distance
So I broke for him and he came right back to me
Why it was almost like old times again
Teddy Bear was a yakkin' away
Unloading all the latest news on me and gettin' louder and louder

But all of the sudden a sound of an engine seemed to drown Teddy Bear out
And I said "Hey what's going on?"
Teddy Bear said "Open your front door good buddy I'm just outside."
Lord the roar of engines seemed to rock the house
And all around me I could hear a familiar voices and slammin doors
Ah I couldn't hold back the tears
All my friends were there
And then I heard something that I couldn't believe
Little Joe? That bark? Why it had to be Little Joe
And no sooner then that he was all over me
And I put my arms around my old partner
And the tears was streaming down my face
And then I felt something strange
Little Joe hadn't worn a collar before
And attached to the collar was a handle
A hush fell over my friends
And I realized
Lord
My new eyes were standing at my feet
Little Joe