NO CHARGE

Melba Montgomery

Writer: HARLAN HOWARD



Recitation:



My little boy came into the kitchen this evenin'

While I was fixin' supper

And he handed me a piece of paper he'd been writin' on

And after wipin' my hands on my apron

I read it - and this is what it said:



For mowin' the yard - five dollars

And for makin' my own bed this week - one dollar

And for goin' to the store - fifty cents

An' playin' with little brother, while you went shoppin' - twenty-five

cents

Takin' out the trash - one dollar

Gettin' a good report card - five dollars

And for rakin' the yard - two dollars

Total owed - fourteen seventy-five.



Well, I looked at 'im standin' there expectantly

And a thousand mem'ries flashed through my mind

So I picked up the pen, turnin' the paper over,

This is what I wrote:



For nine months I carried you

Growin' inside me - NO CHARGE

For the nights I've sat up with you,

Doctored you, prayed for you - NO CHARGE

For the time and the tears.

And the cost through the years, there's NO CHARGE

When you add it all up.

The full cost of my love is NO CHARGE.



For the nights filled with dread

And the worries ahead - NO CHARGE

For advice and the knowledge

And the cost of your college - NO CHARGE

For the toys, food and clothes and for wipin' your nose

There's NO CHARGE, son

When you add it all up,

The full cost of my love, is - NO CHARGE.



Recitation:

Well, when he finished readin'

He had great big old tears in his eyes

And he looked up at me and he said,

"Mama, I sure do love you."

Then he took the pen,

And in great big letters

He wrote: "PAID IN FULL."



When you add it all up

The cost of real love is - NO CHARGE