Kim and Friends' Songs

An homage to my college days centered around a pizza joint in San Marcos, TX. I wrote it after I visited for the first time in years and agitated many dormant memories.

At old Valentino's the faces have changed
But the pizza and breadsticks are still made the same
I can taste the memories in creamy italian
Where the boys in the back live up to the name

I'd have breadsticks delivered to Lantana Hall
And the Mosscliff apartment on the second floor
On Tuesday nights, you'd get two drinks for free
Always a deal for the college kid poor

After losing my virtue at Colony Square
in a drunken one night stand
I confessed to my best friend over provolone cheese
on traditional white crust with ranch.

At old Valentino's the faces have changed
But the pizza and breadsticks are still made the same
I can taste the memories in creamy italian
Where the boys in the back live up to the name

There were heart shaped pizzas on Valentine's day
And Patrick was nowhere in sight
So Chuck was a sweetheart and brought me a pie
A surprise on that cold, lonely night

The Valentino boys out on Ranch Road 12
gave a party on New Year's Eve
Penny was talking and talking and talking
I never knew what to believe

There was Monday night bowling at Sunset Lanes
With Jacquie, Greg Gold and Greg Payne
And March Madness winnings for George and me
And billiards at Top Cats with James

At old Valentino's the faces have changed
But the pizza and breadsticks are still made the same
I can taste the memories in creamy italian
Where the boys in the back live up to the name

Melanie's mother, she stands at the counter
offering up the buffet
She's been Melanie's mother for 22 years
Most of them good, she'd say.

That's when she asked me "Who's mother are you?"
I told her "I'm nobody's mom."
Valentino boy said, "It happens sometimes.
It's a personal choice, nothing's wrong."

Back in the days when I was thin and naive
I thought everyone married in time
But I didn't inherit that mainstream gene
Now I'm haunted by ghosts from south of my home
Where the Valentino boys thrive

At old Valentino's the faces have changed
There's pizza box art on the walls
Melanie's mother, she serves the buffet
and the boys in the back still live up to the name

At old Valentino's the faces have changed
But the pizza and breadsticks are still made the same
I can taste the memories in creamy italian
Where the boys in the back live up to the name

Dedicated to Greg Payne, Greg Gold, George Martinez, James Maxcey, John Schmidt, Toby Mahan, Billy Simons, Patrick Clinton, Chuck Duell, Trey Grubb, Jim Romine, Remo, Richard, Brian Spinelli, Gil Dominy, Mike Vanzandt, Dave Dart, Danny Gray, Chris Adams, Bob Bland, Penny, Jacquie, Vickie Tice, Tammie Chock, Star Hinojosa, Jim Romine, Mary McCowan, Janet, Cheryl, Greg Kipke, Kevin Dunbah, Greg Delarue, Mike McCowan, Kip Hildrebrant, Rudy and all the Valentino's pizza people present, past and future. Especially Melanie's Mom.