The Fiery Furnaces - Straight Street Lyrics

Tea time at Damascus computer cafe,
I'm looking busy and staring off the other way
Leverkusen, Juventus; Leeds vs. Valencia
I'm over-hearing all their nonsense in extensia

They're talking too tough for me to inspect
So I have a smell who seems the best to connect
I pick my clique and set to go to work
But the only thing they care about is to whom to play the Turk

So I walked up the length
Of the street they call Straight
Cursing myself
'Cause I got there too late

I traded an expired credit card for two cupfulls of water
They had a dirty beany baby so for good luck I bought her
I rented a Hyundai with two flats and no windshield
No speedometer and a handbrake that squealed

When the sun came up I couldn't put down the visor
So I put on my hat and a question to my local advisor
Whose trucks are those that parked up by the town
But he only would mumble with his eyes pointed down

So I walked up the length
Of the street they call Straight
Cursing myself
'Cause I got there too late

My boss the head of sales for Western Asia
Said you'll get fired if your opposite from Nokia plays ya
If he beats you for the battle of hearts and minds
Tells 'em we use pig by-products in our designs

So when I saw my rival's smile didn't get diminished
No one had to tell me I knew that we were Finnished
You boys from Ericsson better get in the back seat
'Cause your phones are getting stoned over on that straight street

So I walked up the length
Of the street they call Straight
Cursing myself
'Cause I got there too late

So I went to Georgia looking at spas and convents
Tried to make myself the broker for selling off the contents.
At the big change clinic my friends said don't be a cynic
You should work in Baku this is watcha gotta do.

Call a contact in Texas talk to 'em in their Lexus
On their hands-free device and don't be too nice.
But in my teleconference with Houston
They told me I wasn't any use to 'em.

So I walked up the length
Of the street they call Straight
Cursing myself
'Cause I got there too late

Tea time at Damascus computer cafe
I'm looking busy and staring off the other way
Arsenal, Inter; Madrid vs. Valencia
I'm over-hearing all their nonsense in extensia

They're talking too tough for me to inspect
So I have a smell who seems the best to connect
I pick my clique and set to go to work
But the only thing they care about is to whom to play the Turk

So I walked up the length
Of the street they call Straight
Cursing myself
'Cause I got there too late