He was driving home one evening in his beat up Pontiac
When an old lady flagged him down her Mercedes had a flat
He could see that she was frightened standing out there in the snow
'Til he said, I'm here to help you mam, by the way my name is Joe
She said, I'm from St. Louis and I'm only passing through
I must have seen a hundred cars go by this is awful nice of you
When he changed the tire and closed her trunk
And was about to drive away
She said, How much do I owe you?
Here's what he had to say
"You don't owe me a thing, I've been there too
And someone once helped me out, just the way I'm helping you
If you really want to pay me back here's what you do
Don't let the chain of love end with you"
And well a few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe
She went in to grab a bite to eat and then be on her way
But she couldn't help but notice how the waitress smiled so sweet
And how she must've been eight months along and dead on her feet
And though she didn't know her story and she probably never will
When the waitress went to get her change from a hundred dollar bill
The lady slipped right out the door and on a napkin left a note
There were tears in the waitress's eyes when she read what she wrote
"You don't owe me a thing, I've been there too
Someone once helped me out just the way I'm helping you
If you really want to pay me back here's what you do
Don't let the chain of love end with you"
That night when she got home from work the waitress climbed into bed
She was thinking about the money and what the lady's note had said
As her husband lay there sleeping, she whispered soft and low
Everything's gonna be alright, I love you, Joe