Marc Shaiman
The Man Inside the Clues
[HANRATTY, spoken]
The Flash?
Peanut butter?
Maybe he's got a kid?
Alright, Mr. Taylor, I know you're in here somewhere

(singing)
Some comic books, a Miss July
A matchbook from "The Flame"
Some chewing gum, a mismatched pair of shoes
A letter home that wasn't mailed
A check without a name
Yeah, they'll be my guide to the man inside the clues
A bobby pin, two baseball cards
Some day-old Chinese food
Two ticket stubs, the Red Sox, always lose
A valentine that wasn't sent
A scent to set the mood
When I take a ride with the man inside the clues

"Do Not Disturb" is on the door
The maid, she never comes
He locked the door
But I don't need a key
There's only garbage on the floor
To others, they're just crumbs
Those crumbs look like a five-course meal to me
I use my head to get in his
So I can think like him
I see he flies and also cries the blues
But if I look at my own life
I'm out here on a limb
Yeah, it's best to hide, stay the man inside the clues
I've looked into so many lives
But never at my own
The trail I left is such a damn cliche
The lonely wife, the house for sale
A million nights alone
To wish you had the things you threw away
Like a front door key, a home cooked meal
The happy bride and groom
Then life kicks in and makes you pay your dues
And then you find you're by yourself
In a single motel room
That's been occupied by the man inside the clues

The clues