I think zart111963 is on to something...
Honestly this song is so confusing hahaha. To me, its maybe not so much the friend zone but perhaps he wants to become closer to a love interest. However, that person only opens up to a limit and is otherwise not letting him get very close; something she seems to do for every guy before Alex and he is no exception ("There's no need to show me around baby, I feel like I've been here before")... its pointless to entertain the idea of furthering the relationship if he knows already that she "wouldn't fold", as if this is her pattern with men ("patterns on the ceiling"): every guy she's with is reckless and loses himself in the romance ("the cracks in black out blinds"), while she is feeling fine, she hasn't let her guard down. I guess he deems this life that she lives as one that is very dark; love is the light, but her heart is closed.
In the present situation that mirrors their relationship, Alex knows already that she will send everyone home at the end of the night, including him, Alex wonders if she will kind of ironically show him hospitality in pouring him a drink as he leaves ("one for the road'). It is a gesture that is both welcoming and pushes him away at the same time.
The last verse doesn't really fit with my interpretation though. Maybe he's wishing her well and hoping she doesn't fall apart from the close-calls to falling in love as well as loneliness she's chosen for herself ("the mixture" of being both with someone but distant, "don't get that sinking feeling, dont fall apart").
I think zart111963 is on to something... Honestly this song is so confusing hahaha. To me, its maybe not so much the friend zone but perhaps he wants to become closer to a love interest. However, that person only opens up to a limit and is otherwise not letting him get very close; something she seems to do for every guy before Alex and he is no exception ("There's no need to show me around baby, I feel like I've been here before")... its pointless to entertain the idea of furthering the relationship if he knows already that she "wouldn't fold", as if this is her pattern with men ("patterns on the ceiling"): every guy she's with is reckless and loses himself in the romance ("the cracks in black out blinds"), while she is feeling fine, she hasn't let her guard down. I guess he deems this life that she lives as one that is very dark; love is the light, but her heart is closed. In the present situation that mirrors their relationship, Alex knows already that she will send everyone home at the end of the night, including him, Alex wonders if she will kind of ironically show him hospitality in pouring him a drink as he leaves ("one for the road'). It is a gesture that is both welcoming and pushes him away at the same time. The last verse doesn't really fit with my interpretation though. Maybe he's wishing her well and hoping she doesn't fall apart from the close-calls to falling in love as well as loneliness she's chosen for herself ("the mixture" of being both with someone but distant, "don't get that sinking feeling, dont fall apart").