When she said,"Don't waste

your words, they're just lies,"

I cried she was deaf.

And she worked on my face

until breaking my eyes,

Then said, "What else you got left?"

It was then that I got up to leave

But she said, "Don't forget,

Everybody must give something back

For something they get."



I stood there and hummed,

I tapped on her drum and asked her how come.

And she buttoned her boot,

And straightened her suit,

Then she said, "Don't get cute."

So I forced my hands in my pockets

And felt with my thumbs,

And gallantly handed her

My very last piece of gum.



She threw me outside,

I stood in the dirt where ev'ryone walked.

And after finding I'd

Forgotten my shirt,

I went back and knocked.

I waited in the hallway, she went to get it,

And I tried to make sense

Out of that picture of you in your wheelchair

That leaned up against . . .



Her Jamaican rum

And when she did come, I asked her for some.

She said, "No, dear."

I said, "Your words aren't clear,

You'd better spit out your gum."

She screamed till her face got so red

Then she fell on the floor,

And I covered her up and then

Thought I'd go look through her drawer.



And, when I was through

I filled up my shoe

And brought it to you.

And you, you took me in,

You loved me then

You didn't waste time.

And I, I never took much,

I never asked for your crutch.

Now don't ask for mine.