Nothing

I'm so excited
Because I'm gonna go to the High School of Performing Arts
I mean, I was dying to be a serious actress
Anyway, it's the first day acting class and we're in the auditorium
And the teacher, Mr. Karp
Puts us upon the stage with our legs around everybody
One in back of the other and he says
"Okay, we're going to do improvisations
Now, you're on a bobsled and it's snowing out
And it's cold, okay, go!"

Every day for a week we would try to
Feel the motion, feel the motion
Down the hill
Every day for a week we would try to
Hear the wind rush, hear the wind rush
Feel the chill

And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
To see what I had inside
Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And I tried, I tried

And everybody's goin', "Whoosh, whoosh
I feel the snow, I feel the cold, I feel the air"
And Mr. Karp turns to me and he says
"Okay, Morales, what did you feel?"

And I said, "Nothing, I'm feeling nothing"
And he says, "Nothing could get a girl transferred"
They all felt something, but I felt nothing
Except the feeling that this bullshit was absurd

But I said to myself, "Hey, it's only the first week
Maybe it's genetic
They don't have bobsleds in San Juan"

Second week, more advanced, and we had to
Be a table, be a sportscar
Ice-cream cone
Mr. Karp, he would say, "Very good
Except Morales, try, Morales
All alone"

And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
To see how an ice cream felt
Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And I tried to melt

The kids yelled, "Nothing," they called me "Nothing"
And Karp allowed it, which really makes me burn
The were so helpful, they called me "Hopeless"
Until I really didn't know where else to turn

And Karp kept saying
"Morales, I think you should transfer to Girl's High
You'll never be an actress, never!" Jesus Christ!

Went to church, praying, "Santa Maria
Send me guidance, send me guidance"
On my knees
Went to church, praying, "Santa Maria
Help me feel it, help me feel it
Pretty please!"

And a voice from down at the bottom of my soul
Came up to the top of my head
And the voice from down at the bottom of my soul
Here is what it said

"This man is nothing, this course is nothing
If you want something, go find a better class
And when you find one, you'll be an actress"
And I assure you that's what finally came to pass

Six months later I heard that Karp had died
And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And cried
'Cause I felt nothing