A Better Place to Be

Story

The song begins with "a little man" sitting at a bar, looking glum. The waitress, who is described as a "big ol' friendly girl", notices this in him and asks him what his problem is. The little man ignores the waitress at first, but after "a couple of sips" he begins to tell her his story.

The song then takes the little man's point of view as he states that he is a midnight watchman at a place called Miller's Tool and Die. One week earlier, he goes to a diner and sees a beautiful girl. Though worried that she's too good for him, the little man still attempts to "give her one good try." Stammering, he makes a fool of himself, but the girl takes his offer, saying in the song's refrain:

The little man takes her home and attempts to turn on the lights as he enters his room, but the girl tells him to leave the lights off because she "doesn't mind the dark". The little man cannot believe his good luck, and tries again to speak to the girl, who says only:

The next day, the little man watches her sleep and leaves early so he can return and surprise her with breakfast. When he returns, he finds she has gone, leaving behind a "six word letter, saying 'It's time that I moved on.'"

After the little man's story, the tearful waitress tells him she wishes that she too were beautiful so she could be with the little man. She says, "I wish that you'd come with me when I leave for home / for we both know all about emptiness / and living all alone". The little man gives the waitress a "crooked grin", finishes his drink, acknowledges their shared loneliness, and repeats the first refrain.

Origin

Introducing the song on the Greatest Stories Live album, Chapin states he came up with the song while visiting Watertown, New York, claiming he "spent a week there one afternoon".