Pedro Navaja

Through the corner of the old neighborhood I saw him pass
With the swagger that tough guys have when they walk
Hands always in the pockets of his overcoat
So they don't know which one of them he carries the knife

He wears a wide-brimmed hat tilted to one side
And sneakers in case he needs to run away
Dark glasses so they don't know he's watching
And a gold tooth that shines when he laughs

About three blocks from that corner a woman
Is walking along the sidewalk for the fifth time
And she enters a doorway and takes a drink to forget
That the day is slow and there are no clients to work

A car passes very slowly down the avenue
It has no markings but everyone knows it's the police
Pedro Navaja and the gold tooth shine again

As he walks, he looks from corner to corner
Not a soul is seen, the whole avenue is deserted
When suddenly that woman comes out of the doorway
And Pedro Navaja clenches a fist inside his overcoat

He looks one way, looks the other, and sees no one
And quietly but quickly crosses the street
And meanwhile on the other side of the street that woman
Grumbles because she didn't make enough money to eat

As she walks, she takes out a revolver from her old coat
She was going to put it in her purse so it wouldn't be in the way
A .38 Smith and Wesson Special
That she carries to protect herself from all harm

And Pedro Navaja, knife in hand, went towards her
The gold tooth was shining down the avenue 'easy prey'
While he laughed, the knife mercilessly stabbed her
When suddenly a shot rang out like a cannon

And Pedro Navaja fell on the sidewalk while he saw that woman
Who, with a revolver in hand and fatally wounded, said to him
I thought today wasn't my day, I'm unlucky
But Pedro Navaja, you're worse off, you're nothing

And believe me, people, even though there was noise, no one came out
There were no onlookers, no questions, no one cried
Only a drunk stumbled upon the two dead bodies
He took the revolver, the knife, the money, and left

And stumbling, he went off singing out of tune
The chorus that I bring you here and my song's message

Life gives you surprises, surprises life gives you, oh God!

Pedro Navaja, corner thief
He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword

Life gives you...

Criminal fisherman for the bait you threw
Instead of a sardine, you caught a shark

I like to live in America

Life gives you...

Eight million stories the city of New York has

Life gives you...

As my grandmother used to say, he who laughs last laughs best

I like to live in America

Life gives you
When destiny dictates, not even the bravest can change it
If you were born to be a hammer, nails will fall from the sky

Life gives you...

In the tough guy neighborhood, be careful on the sidewalk
Watch out, camera, because if you don't run, you'll fly

Life gives you...

Like in a Kafka novel
The drunk turned down the alleyway