Innocent Bystander
Frank Tovey Lyrics

Wiped away the condensation
Frank Tovey clears the fog from the window as he observes what's happening outside.

Looked down at the empty street
Frank looks down at the street below which is deserted and devoid of any activity.

A girl in white fright screaming loudly
Frank sees a girl who is terrified and dressed in white frantically screaming for help.

A screwed up nut in pursuit
Frank sees a crazed person chasing the girl in pursuit.

I stood and watched
Despite seeing someone in trouble, Frank doesn't do anything to help and just stands there, watching the tragedy unfold.

Frozen to the spot
Frank is so taken aback by what he sees that he's unable to move or take any action.

I stood and watched her bruised chest and heave stop
Frank sees the girl losing strength and eventually succumbing to her injuries.

Not more than a hundred miles from here
Frank realizes that he's not too far away from home, where he feels safe, secure and free of any worries.

I could be sleeping, no more pillow fears
Frank could be sleeping peacefully without any worries, but he's unable to do so because of what he just witnessed.

But now I find that I can't hide
Despite being able to avoid confrontation earlier, Frank realizes that he can no longer ignore the harsh reality of the world.

We didn't like to interfere
Frank and others in society preferred to remain aloof and not interfere in other people's problems and issues.

We're all respectable people here
Frank and his peers perceive themselves as decent, upstanding members of society.

Turn out the lights and continue watching
The people would shut the lights off to avoid being seen as they continue to watch and observe what's happening in the street below.

Seven stories up and conscience clear
Despite observing the tragedy, people had no qualms about not taking any action and sleeping soundly at night.

Lying in the curb, legs bent the wrong way
Frank sees the girl's body lying on the sidewalk with her legs in an unnatural position.

Shattered glass and uni-parts in the road
There's debris and scattered car parts on the street, adding to the destruction and chaos.

The ghouls on the pavement were making a feast of it
Frank sees people scavenging for valuables or objects of interest at the scene of the tragedy.

Their kids licking ice-creams and asking rude questions
The children of these scavengers are unfazed by the tragedy and are more interested in eating ice-cream and making insensitive remarks.

Eyes glued to the spot
Despite the gruesome sight, Frank continues to stare at the scene below.

They stand and stare and anything that moves
The onlookers are interested in anything out of the ordinary and so, even something as insignificant as someone walking by would garner their attention.

Half naked silhouettes, net curtain viewers
Frank sees people who are only partially dressed and who hide behind their curtains, curious about the tragedy unfolding outside.

Transfixed, cool and hot
Frank is transfixed by the sight, even though he's both scared and indifferent towards it.

The convoy moves closer to the scene of the disaster
Emergency services are on their way.

Families from miles around gather here
People come from all over to witness what has happened.

Siren lights and Polaroids flashing in the darkness
The emergency lights on the vehicles and the flashes from people's cameras are all that can be seen in the darkness.

A black box for the pilot and passengers
Frank sees that a black box is being brought to the scene which would contain valuable information about the tragedy.

I stood and watched burnt bodies left to rot
Frank witnesses the result of a catastrophic event, where people lost their lives and their bodies are barely recognizable anymore.

Not more than twenty-four hours from here
Frank is all too aware that the tragedy could have struck much closer to home.

I could buy a one-way ticket and disappear
Frank is so overwhelmed by the tragedy that he considers leaving town and hoping to start fresh somewhere else.

But still I find that I can't hide
However, he can't ignore the harsh reality and knows that he can't hide from such incidents, no matter where he goes.