Taking My Business Elsewhere
Richard Thompson Lyrics

If she's not here by now
The singer expected a woman to join him, but she hasn't arrived yet.

Then I guess she's not coming
The woman is not going to arrive at all.

If she's not here by now
The lack of the woman's presence doesn't bother the singer anymore.

Then I guess I don't care
The singer no longer cares about the woman's absence.

Waiter, I won't waste your time anymore
The singer acknowledges the waiter's job and doesn't want to keep him from his work.

You've already started to sweep down the floor
The singer notices the waiter beginning to do his closing duties.

I guess she's not coming, I'll head for the door
The woman hasn't arrived, so the singer will leave the restaurant.

I'll be taking my business elsewhere
The singer will patronize a different establishment in the future.

It wasn't for me
The woman was not interested in the singer.

That spark in her eyes
The woman's sparkle visited him only briefly.

It wasn't for me
The woman's gesture of affection didn't belong to him.

That halo in her hair
The woman had a sort of ethereal radiance about her.

When she touched me a lump rose up in my throat
The woman's touch triggered an emotional response in the singer.

But she must act that way with any old soak
The woman probably flirted with anyone she met, not just the singer.

And waiter, you don't seem to share in the joke
The waiter was not interested or involved with the singer's amorous encounter.

So I'll be taking my business elsewhere
The singer is disappointed, embarrassed, and is leaving the restaurant.

She called me her fantasy
The woman called the singer the idea she always wanted, but no longer.

Boldly she kissed me
The woman initiated a kiss, which surprised the singer.

I'll never get over
The singer cannot shake off the surprise or thinks he cannot.

The sheer surprise of her
The scale of her impact caught the singer off guard.

Acting that way
The woman's behavior exceeded the singer's expectations.

And I'm healing okay
The singer is dealing with the aftermath of the encounter.

But for the eyes of her
The singer still misses the woman's gaze.

It's cold in the rain
The singer's mood has been affected by the weather and the absence of the woman.

And it's dark and it's sad
The singer is dealing with a depressing atmosphere.

And I'll miss her tonight
The singer will miss the woman during the course of the evening.

On my lonely back stair
The singer is sitting by himself on the stairs of his home.

I'm sorry I took up so much of your space
The singer apologizes for taking up the waiter's time and space at the restaurant.

I'll move down the street to a friendlier place
The singer will go down the street and seek a more friendly establishment.

'Cause I guess she's not coming and you're sick of my face
The singer assumes the woman is not going to come to where they agreed to meet and assumes the waiter is irritated with his company.

I'll be taking my business elsewhere
The singer will patronize a different restaurant from now on.