We had an apartment in the city   Me and Loretta liked living there   It's been years since the kids have grown   A lives of their own left us alone      John and Linda live in Omaha   And Joe is somewhere on the road   We lost Davy in the Korean war   I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore      Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger   Old rivers grow wilder every day   But old people just grow lonesome   Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello"      Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more   She sits and stares through the back door screen   All the news just repeats itself   Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen      Someday I'll go and call up Rudy   We worked together at the factory   What will I tell him if he asks, "What's new?"   "Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do"      Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger   Rivers grow wilder every day   But old people just grow lonesome   Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello"      So, if you're walking down the street sometime   And spot some hollow ancient eyes   Please don't just pass 'em by and stare   Like you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello"   Say, "Hello in there, hello"