Bulletproof

Ernie and his brother lost the farm Never found a way to get back home Never did nobody any harm Only worked when alcohol ran low Sometimes they'd cut firewood or hay Shacked up on the Androscoggin River Umbagog Lake gives what it takes On to Hackett's Mills she is delivered The brothers never married, no surprise People used to laugh and put 'em down The smell of pine pitch, sweat, blood red eyes Fall that far you just get used to ground, uh huh, uh huh He retreated after Ansel passed away, No one gave Ernie Hodge another thought Until one bitter cold December day Behind the fiber mill at 4 o'clock The whistle blew and the whole town came to life Wilber Haskell's oldest boy had fallen through the ice The waterfall's ferocious appetite People screaming he was going to die, uh huh, uh huh Out of nowhere something smacked the icy air Ladder dragged real hard from off a roof Grab the rope, grab it right there Ernie screaming loud and bulletproof Ten-year-old True Haskell's life was saved Who rescued him the paper wouldn't say 'Cuz Ernie didn't have a hero's face He didn't care He didn't read the papers anyway