Dave Dudley - Pinball Machine Chords

[Intro]
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[Spoken Intro]
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This story's about an ex-truck driver bein' named John James Wall before
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his friends blackballed him and nick-named him Pinball.
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I gathered this story from a truck stop in Gallipolis, Ohio
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when this old feller, I'd say, 70 years old, asked me to buy him
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a strong cup of coffee and a piece of good apple pie.
 
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I bought the coffee and the pie for the old feller and I'm awful glad
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I did because he winked his eye and smiled and said "My!, My!"
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Then I noticed in a few minutes, with trembling hands he pushed a part
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of his pie and coffee back and looked at me with tears running down
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his poor old weather-beaten cheek and this is what he said...
 
[Part 1]
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I'm an old hog-hauler, I drove a big truck,
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I shot the pinball machine but it caused me bad luck.
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But all I ever made in a pinball machine,
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I'd get four catty-corners, then I'd miss the 16.
 
[Part 2]
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I wish they'd outlaw them old pinball machines,
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many weeks they have caused me to live on sardines.
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Last time I called my wife on the phone,
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the first thing she says, "John, when are you coming home?"
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"I've got a load of hogs and they've got to go
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I'll see you when I get back from Old Chicago."
 
[Part 3]
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She says, "John, you know I love you, I wish you wouldn't go,
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send your babies some money, they are hungry and cold".
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The last thing she said and then she hung up:
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"John, you give up my lovin', just to drive an old truck".
 
[Part 4]
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I made my trip on to Old Chicago,
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I was gone two months 'cause I shot up my dough.
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When I got home my family they were gone,
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the best friend I had rung my telephone.
 
[Part 5]
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He says, "John, I guess you wonder about your babies and wife?
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Pneumonia got your babies and your wife took her life".
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I lost all my friends, I can't sleep for bad dreams,
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I dream about an old truck and a pinball machine.
 
[Spoken Outro]
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I never will forget the last words that old man said
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"Oh! Lord, if I could live my life over!" and then he fell dead
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They tell me John was a clean cut young man at the age of 19
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but now he's in his grave,
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a victim of a big old truck, and a pinball machine
 
[Outro] (Repeat and Fade Out)
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