I was out on the Coast, tryin' to make a And didn't work out, I was down on my luck Got tired and bummin' around So I started thumbin' East, toward my home town.
Made a lot of miles, the two days And I figured I'd be in week, if my luck held out this way But, the third night I got stranded, way out of At a cold, lonely crossroads, rain was down.
I was and freezin', done caught a chill When the lights of a big semi topped the hill Lord, I sure was glad to them air brakes come on And I climbed in that cab, I knew it'd be warm.
At the wheel sit a big man, he about two-ten He stuck out his hand and said with a "Big Joe's the name", I him mine And he "The name of my rig is Phantom 309."
I asked him why he his rig such a name He "Son, this old Mack can put 'em all to shame There ain't a driver, or a rig, a-runnin' any Ain't seen nothin' but taillights from 309."
Well, we rode and talked the better part of the When the lights of a truck came in sight He "I'm sorry son, this is as far as you go 'Cause, I gotta make a turn, on up the road."
Well, he tossed me a as he pulled her in low And said: "Have a cup on old Big Joe." Joe and his rig roared out in the night In flat, he was clean out of sight.
Well, I inside and ordered me a cup Told the waiter Big Joe was me up Aw!, you heard a pin drop, it got deathly quiet And the face turned kinda white.
Well, did I say wrong? I said with a halfway grin He said: "Naw, happens every now and then Ever' driver in knows Big Joe But son, let me you what happened about ten years ago.
At the tonight, where you flagged him down There was a bus load of kids, comin' from And they right in the middle, when Big Joe topped the hill It could been slaughter, but he turned his wheel.
Well, Joe lost control, went a skid And gave his to save that bunch-a kids And there at crossroads, was the end of the line For Big Joe and 309
But, every now and then, some come by And like you, Big give 'em a ride Here, have another cup and forget about the Keep it as a souvenir, from Big Joe and 309!"