I think, in the first verse, the guy is talking about driving around, during the Holidays, looking for an escape because he feels like everything he does is life or death, and his first questions are thinking just about himself ("What about broken car? What about my life so far?") But he starts to think of people other than himself, and realizes "I am not in need." Likewise, in the second verse, he's thinking about school and work and life and no time for yourself, because even if you take time to have fun, what do you get out of it? ("I think about time for fun, I think about time for play, then I think about being done, with no resume.") But he starts to see the things that working will get him ("What about fortune and fame? What about your love to obtain? What about the ring?" I.e., marriage.)
He realizes that he can't find it in him to complain "I find it hard to complain when compared with what about--What about everything? What about aeroplanes? And what about ships that drank the sea? What about the moon and stars? What about soldier battle scars and all the anger that they eat?" Finally he thinks about the big things, aliens, "you and me", "what about when buildings fall," (which could be 9/11 reference, but not necessarily,) or "What about that midnight phone call, the one that wakes you from your peace?" Those are the calls everyone's terrified to receive, because they're never good, and it could mean you lost someone close to you.
He's driving and he's thinking about all of this and he realizes, "Well, I am not in need."
I think, in the first verse, the guy is talking about driving around, during the Holidays, looking for an escape because he feels like everything he does is life or death, and his first questions are thinking just about himself ("What about broken car? What about my life so far?") But he starts to think of people other than himself, and realizes "I am not in need." Likewise, in the second verse, he's thinking about school and work and life and no time for yourself, because even if you take time to have fun, what do you get out of it? ("I think about time for fun, I think about time for play, then I think about being done, with no resume.") But he starts to see the things that working will get him ("What about fortune and fame? What about your love to obtain? What about the ring?" I.e., marriage.)
He realizes that he can't find it in him to complain "I find it hard to complain when compared with what about--What about everything? What about aeroplanes? And what about ships that drank the sea? What about the moon and stars? What about soldier battle scars and all the anger that they eat?" Finally he thinks about the big things, aliens, "you and me", "what about when buildings fall," (which could be 9/11 reference, but not necessarily,) or "What about that midnight phone call, the one that wakes you from your peace?" Those are the calls everyone's terrified to receive, because they're never good, and it could mean you lost someone close to you.
He's driving and he's thinking about all of this and he realizes, "Well, I am not in need."