Hainus

It was a cold Thanksgiving day in 1982
When my only brother and his 6 year old son, Hainus, got into their Trans-am and drove out of view.

Hainus really loved his pa, you could see it in his eyes.
All thanksgiving day you could feel my brother's prize.

See, he was raising little Hainus all alone for the past three years,
And everytime Hainus asked "What happened to mommy?" the family fought back the tears.

My brother tried to give Hainus the life a boy deserves,
but ever since the plant closed down, it's been difficult getting work.

All Hainus wanted for Christmas was a little Shepard pup,
A little dog to shere some laughs and give it lots of love.

My brother didn't have the money to take care of Hainus and a dog,
but that didn't stop little Hainus from writting down these words.

"Dear Santa, All I want for christmas is a puppy,
a little friend that will do nothing but love me.
I promise to scratch behind it's ears, and I'll fight back the tears
if he runs away like mommy."

Hainus handed my that letter when he got into his daddy's trans-am that thanksgiving day.

He said "Uncle Bubba, give this note to Santa, please? Pa has a lot on his mind."
I winked at little Hainus and said "Don't worry boy. I'll get this note to Santa in no time."

That was the last I saw of my baby brother and Hainus together,
when they drove home that night, they were facing some real stormy weather.

The car ran off the road to miss a run-away rig,
And that beautiful trans-am slamed into a tree that was damn big.

I rushed to the hospital on that awful Thanksgiving night.
I wanted to see my brother, I hoped Hainus was all right.

When I got to the lobby the nurse wouldn't tell me a thing.

So I did what any real brother would do, I started to beg.
Then the doctor came and said "Your brother's dead, and Hainus has lost has leg."

I brought Hainus home, because now he lives with me.
A six year old with one leg is a very sad sight to see.

I wanted to give him a special Christmas and help him forget about the loss of his pa,
so I took my VCR to the pawn shop and got enough money to buy Hainus a dog.

He was a one year old pit-bull and a bought it from a friend,
I gave him $200 and I was sure Hainus's smile would never end.

I barrowed an old Santa suit and had a couple of beers,
then I headed home for some much needed Christmas-eve cheer.

When I got home that night, Hainus was sitting by the Christmas tree,
He squinched up his little eyes, almost like he couldn't see.

As a walked closer with the little pit-bull pup, Hainus said "What the hell kind of a dog is that?"
And "Uncle Bubba, you're drunk and you're really getting fat!"

I pulled my tattered beard down and I coud not believe my ears,
"I got you a goddamn puppy, boy, and I only had a couple of beers"

"I wanted a german shepard, Uncle Bubba. You're nothing like my dad!"
He shouted in my face and then he kicked me in the nads.

I lost my balance and reached for the tree but all I got was a branch,
And the star that was sitting on top went through the puppy like a lance.

It was electocuting the puppy right in front of our very eyes,
Then Hainus said "I hate you, Uncle Bubba" ad he started to cry.

Well, then I really lost my temper, I don't know what I said,
But it was something like "No wonder your momma left you and I bet your dad's glad he's dead!"

Then Hainus jumped to his feet, but he forgot he only had one leg,
And he fell on top of that electrified puppy and now Hainus is dead.

So every Christmas, I go to his grave and pull out that wrinkled note,
I remember that winter of '82 and I read the words he wrote.

"Dear Santa, All I want for christmas is a puppy,
a little friend that will do nothing but love me.
I promise to scratch behind it's ears, and I'll fight back the tears
if he runs away like mommy."