Ruth grew the best tomatoes in the valley
she made her own preserves
and sold jars by the score

she had a little stand out beside the highway
that's where she met Jeremy
the man she would adore

La la la

Jeremy was driving from Braeden to Bricktown
he stopped for a spell
to check out her stand

he had one taste of her tomato preserves now
he dropped to one knee
and took Ruth by the hand

"Be my wife
and I'll build you a greenhouse.
We'll love each other
the best that we can.
Vines'll climb the walls
of your greenhouse
And I promise to love you
for as long as I stand."

La la la

The years went by for Ruth and for Jeremy
wouldn't say they were cruel
wouldn't say they were kind

When Ruth found out she couldn't have a baby
Jeremy took to drinking
Ruth took to her vines

La la la

She'd taken the tomatoes out of the sunshine
24-hour flourescent lights
now shone down on the vines

She still sprayed with Nicotine for the bugs now
it's the way she always did
when she was young, in her prime

She was his wife
but she was always in the greenhouse
he was always at the bar
this wasn't what they planned
He'd broken the promise
of the greenhouse
He didn't love her anymore
but he could still stand

La la la

Then one night a moment of clarity
blew air across an ember down in Jeremy
"Why'd I let this bitter cloud take my heart?"
He raced with a foggy head out into the dark

Headed home

La la la

The morning sun lit the detectives
putting together pieces
from the night before

Ruth on the porch was crying gently
Jeremy was still where he died
on the greenhouse floor

La la la

See, Ruth couldn't stand to sleep in their bedroom
she'd crawled into the guest bed
and fell asleep in the dark

Jeremy came home and couldn't find his wife now
Still drunk he ran outside
to tell her what was in his heart

La la la

When Jeremy got out to the greenhouse
he found a jar of whiskey
but he couldn't find his wife

He took a deep drink when he thought she'd left him
The whiskey tasted funny
The nicotine took his life

Ruth tore down that
old greenhouse
she covered it with earth
moved her tomatoes to the sun
but vines still grow
where there was a greenhouse
Ruth sees the love they'd had
inside of every one

La la la

Now Ruth grows the best tomatoes in the valley
she cans her own preserves
and sells jars by the score

La la la