Little Miss Glass-Set-Down — When Enough Was Enough

Lyrics

[Intro]
Hello, half-a-pint.
Sitting here.
The condensation has made a perfect, wet ring on the dark wood of the bar.
Polished to a mirror.

[Verse 1]
The first sips were the best ones.
Cold and sharp.
I remember the taste of the hops.
And the warmth that followed, spreading out from my chest.
I listened to the story Martin was telling, about his daughter's first bike ride.
I laughed.
The sound of it felt real in this room, under these low, yellow lights.

[Chorus]
And then a quiet click.
Not a sound anyone else could hear.
My hand just knew. It set you down.
Right here in your perfect ring of water.
Temperance is just a hand that knew to stop.
This is where our story ends tonight.

[Verse 2]
It was like that Tuesday with the chocolate cake at Sarah's.
The first bite was everything.
Rich and dark, the way the icing stuck to the fork.
The second, still good.
And then the plate was clean, but for a few crumbs.
And when she came around with the knife, asking for seconds...
My lips formed the words before my mind did.
"No thank you, it was perfect."

[Chorus]
And then a quiet click.
Not a sound anyone else could hear.
My hand just knew. It set the fork down.
Right there beside the empty plate.
Temperance is just a hand that knew to stop.
This is where the story ended that night.

[Bridge]
It’s a victory no one sees.
The refrigerator door that stays shut at midnight.
The sharp reply that softens on the tongue, and is never spoken.
The last word that you let someone else have.
It isn’t a grand refusal.
It’s just a small, quiet no.
A little bit of peace I keep for myself.

[Outro]
Goodbye, half-a-pint.
I’m leaving you here, in your circle of light.
I put on my coat.
The night air outside is cold and clean.
And I have had enough.
I have had just enough.