Thirty Year Man

(Dotcom version -- parody of the Atkin/James song 'Thirty Year Man'. Alternative title: The Perl-Driller)

Nobody’s done yet
All the servers and their servants up and running
All fluorescent lights and air-conditioned humming
I head up coding in a Java team
That's working late with a deadline coming.

And across, at her dark and glowing station
There's a shining-haired girl deep in concentration
And her fingertips dance through a long dark minute
Like Fred and Ginger waltzing at a rave
And I fix a few things
But my heart's not in it

Thirty years – of hacking
A spreading waistline and a mug of caffeine
And it isn't my brains that run this show
It's kids – just wind 'em up and let 'em go
It's her that's rising up the queue
And it’s the ghost of my young face she's looking through...

Nobody's home yet
From the motors in the car park no ignition
Not a Rover squeaks a peep of recognition
I head up coding in a Java team
That runs on Diet Coke and cold ambition

And across, at her dark and glowing station
There's a shining-eyed girl with a reputation
And her fingertips dance through the long dark minute
Like Fred and Ginger waltzing at the rave
And I fix a few bugs
But my heart's not in it

Thirty years of hacking
A spreading waistline and the paper stacking
And realising everything I've done
Is old before tomorrow has begun
It's her that will make the sparrows sing
And she's lovely
But it doesn't mean a thing

Nobody's old yet
In the screen-reflected faces not a wrinkle
On the blueprints of their futures not a crinkle
I head up coding in the Java team
That makes the cocktails in the boardroom tinkle

And across at her dark and glowing station
There's a shining-eyed girl deep in concentration
And she reads with her lips through the long dark minute
Like Proserpine praying in her cave
And I fix a few things
But my heart's not in it
'Cause there's nothing here of me I'd want to save.

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