[Verse]
I got the call on a Tuesday, Brenda said, "It's for you"
Some young couple on Cumberland, said their garage won't close true
That address rang a church bell, somewhere deep in my bones
I poured that thirty-by-forty slab back when I still answered phones

[Verse]
Nineteen ninety-seven, I remember the pour
September air was perfect, I was young and wanted more
I told 'em plant some cedars, keep the big trees far away
But they put that silver maple right where the sun hits all day

[Chorus]
One thing about roots and one thing about stone
If you plant what you love too close, you'll watch it crack what you own
I'm not sayin' I'm perfect, I won't take that blame
But something's always heaving underneath what you can't name

[Verse]
Pulled the F-150 up slow, killed the idle and sat
There she was — the maple wide as sin, and the slab heaved like a broken hat
The crack ran straight as a chalk line from the apron to the wall
And I could see them young roots grinning underneath it all

[Verse]
Homeowner's name was Jessica, her husband's name was Dan
He said, "Giuseppe, I've heard stories — everyone says you're the man"
I said, "Son, I poured this right, you can check the mix and slump
That tree just don't respect the frost line, and that maple's got no hump"

[Chorus]
One thing about roots and one thing about stone
If you plant what you love too close, you'll watch it crack what you own
I'm not sayin' I'm perfect, I hate admitting flaws
But nature don't care about your trowel work, nature's got its own laws

[Bridge]
Went and grabbed my diamond blade from the rack behind the cab
Left the F-550 home that day, didn't need to haul the slab
Cut her back a foot each side, traced the fault line clean
And I thought of Joanne, of roots I'd planted too close to the scene

[Verse]
Used a bag of Quikrete fast-set from the Maier downtown
Repaired what the maple ruined, smoothed the crown
I said to Brenda on the drive back, past the curling rink's sad ledge
Every job's a lesson, love, poured right up to the edge

[Chorus]
One thing about roots and one thing about stone
If you plant what you love too close, you'll watch it crack what you own
I don't claim perfection, just load-bearing hope
But sometimes the thing that shades you is the thing that breaks the slope

[Outro]
That maple's still standin', the slab's square once more
You can't argue with a tree, son, you just fix what you abhor
There's a crack in every foundation waits for rain to freeze and spread
And I'm still out here trowelin' smooth what the living things misled