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Arlene Stamp SUMMER CLOSET M IS FOR MONKEY BREAD [Text] The back of the store was always lined up with, she’d empty the, when the monkey bread was done, she’d empty it out and set it on top of the tin to cool. The perfect round cylinder. Monkey bread of course you slice it after, with walnuts in it and everything. Oh, Man. And then she’d make what you call a cheap shortbread like. She’d make tons of those last all week I guess. Ours did. She’d give me one of those. I’ll never forget having a ripe peach for breakfast when I stayed there, with shortbread, one of these shortbread cookies, real thick. Man was it ever good Song: You’re the one I care for. At last I’ve found the one I love, And you’re the one I mean, I always knew I’d find you some day, And you’re the sweetheart of my dreams. You’re the one I care for, and therefore I hope you care for me. Listen to my pleading, You’re the one I’m needing, I love you so, sincere. O IS FOR OFFICE [Text] I forget which ones they were, but [Toolenal] or something, something that I knew at the time through working at drugstores that were strong. I took a whole handful. And I put them in, I had an apron on and I put them in my apron pocket. Lydia was with me and Lydia looked up at me, and she says, “Nanny, can I have some too?” Oh, if you don’t think that didn’t just do something to me. I’ll never forget that as long as I live. That did it. I never, I just couldn’t do it after that. That little face looking up. She thought it was candy. Song: You’ll be sorry (but you’ll be sorry too late.) You’re leaving me broken-hearted I may be lonesome and blue But maybe after we’ve parted You will be missing me too You’ve always had your own sweet way But when its too late some fine day:

Two, dear can play in the love game If you’re not loving me still And if you don’t want my kisses Maybe someone else will When you say your love is still true Then perhaps I won’t want you: D IS FOR DREAM [Text] It made me feel good and I would picture myself like coming out on the stage and entert…, like dancing. Yeah, like because I was absolutely crazy about Marilyn Miller. She played in [Sunny?] in those days. And I would picture my part absolutely as Marilyn Miller. And I loved dancing. I guess this is just what kept me going because that’s what I was going to be. I knew that someday I was going to be on the stage. That’s all there was to it. Song: Sweet dreams, sweetheart Well, Darling, here we are again; We’ve danced the night away; The stars have faded And the moon is on the wane; I guess it’s time to say Good night, sweet dreams And tomorrow’s another day; Till then, Sweet dreams E IS FOR EVIE [Text] Because even Andy talks about it. And so, Evie and I used to, everbody always said we had beautiful legs. So, Evie and I would lay on the chesterfield side by side, and go, like this with our legs and hold our then up. And everybody’d say, er, Andy would like to say “Now let me see who’s got the best ones. I don’t know. Evie does”. “No,” Andy’d say, “No, Mary’s got the best legs.” We’d hold them up like this. This is when we were kids, really young.. Song: How many hearts have you broken. I bet you couldn’t count All the boys you’ve swept off their feet I bet it would amount to as many As you happened to meet. Oh! who am I to resist, Put my name on your list.

HOW MANY HEARTS have you broken With those great big beautiful eyes, How many times have you kissed somebody Like you kissed me just then, I don’t believe that you mean it, But, Baby, kiss me again; R IS FOR RUGY RING [Text] What would I like in the whole world if I could. I said a ring, because I didn’t have a ring. And he took the ring off his finger. And it was a, a, a man’s ring, and it was a good-sized man’s ring with a red ruby in it. Solid gold with a red ruby. Great big oval-shaped red ruby. He says, “Here.” He says, “We’ll have it made to fit you.” And he did. And I had that for years, and I’m sick about it now because I lost the stone out of it. Song: In Shadowland I’m sad the long day through, My life is empty it seems, Till night time brings me you And you knock on the door of my dreams When night begins to spin, Her web of shadowy beams, My heart cries out “Come in!” When you knock on the door of my dreams N IS FOR NIGHT [Text] He’s, I heard the gravel, and then it’s “[Alf?] coming”. So we wait and we look. And he goes…Our, our laneway is a long one, And he turns into our place, and he comes down the laneway. But he doesn’t go to the back door to go in the house. There’s no blinds on the window on the farm. He cuts across the front lawn. He doesn’t know we’re on the lawn. He cuts across the front lawn and he exposes himself. He’s taking out his whatchamacallit, and he looks in the front window where dad and I always are, but we’re not there. I just about passed out. Song: Moonlight and roses When vesper bells are ringing, I hear sweet voices singing, As evening shadows fall ‘Tis then my heart grows fonder

As through the flow’rs I wonder With thoughts so true dear Always of you dear; Moonlight and roses Bring wonderful memories of you My heart reposes In beautiful thoughts so true. WINTER CLOSET M is for Molestation [Text] When I was sitting on the fence between the two houses, like watching them, just sitting there watching them, he came over and took me off the fence and put his hand up underneath my pants, in my, and felt me like, he was feeling me. That was molestation. And you know what I did, I never told anybody and I went into the house and cause I felt, and I looked at myself because I thought he had left me all dirty because he was so dirty. And I looked at myself. But I never forgot it, never forgot it. Song: I’m a big girl now Me and my childhood sweetheart have come To the parting of the ways, He still treats me like he did in our baby days; I’m a little bit older a little bit bolder Since both of us were three There’s a change in my talking, There’s a change in my walking… He ought-a take one good look at me. I’M A BIG GIRL NOW. I wanna be treated like a big girl now. I’m tired of wearing bobby sox-like little kiddies do. I’m tired of going to dances a flat-heeled shoe. H is for Hell [Text] And I thought, “Oh, this is going to hell”. Yeah. Because she had told, I guess she had yelled “Go to hell. Go to hell”. My father had, see he was drunk obviously, but he didn’t enter the picture, it was just her coming in and getting me and dressing me and we never did go outside. We stood in the hall fully

dressed, with our coats and everything on. And I thought, “this is going to hell then. This is what it’s all about, I’m going to hell.” Gee, isn’t that ridiculous Song: Dream House I’ve got a secret to tell you No one else must hear It just concerns you and me dear Come and cuddle near I’ve been waiting months to tell you Now my dream’s come true. It will sure surprise you Listen dear please do I have built a Dream House Cozy little dream house Happiness is there hiding everywhere, You will find Preacher man is waiting Folks are congregating. All I need is your YES I’ll do the rest There’s a pretty blue room Bride and Groom Room O is for Oozing [Text] What time of day, I’ve forgotten. But can you imagine this too? I got in the sofa bed and quietly got in and crawled in and tried to keep my legs together to stop the bleeding. And he didn’t know. Can you imagine a man being asleep in the bed not knowing I’m doing any of this? So I’m laying there and I could feel the blood oozing. Do you know, you wouldn’t believe it but I absolutely soaked the whole sheet. I was sopping wet with bright red blood and I was wrapping it all around myself, and he still didn’t know? Song: Smile a little bit Smile is the best thing to do when lonesome Tears may fall but smiles will chase them away. After rain sunshine is always brighter, Doctors say a smile always makes the heart feel lighter. Smile away, ev’ry day, And you’ll find your cares fade away, Just smile a little bit, smile a little bit Smile away when you’re blue And you’ll leave your troubles after you, Just, smile a little bit,

Smile away when Just, smile a little bit, smile a little bit, E is for Eleven [Text] Never once, I must have been married, but never once did she say “is there anything you want?” and I would have nothing. I’d have eleven cents or something to my name. I never had any money. It’s depressing, like. We had not a nickel to spare. She never would ask. I used to think all these lovely things, food and everything in Loblaws, you bloody miserable tight old so and so.” Now, that really used to hurt me, really hurt me. How could she do that? Song: It all depends on you Lovers depend on moonlight, For a love affair. Babies depend on mothers, For their tender care. Flowers depend on sunshine, And the morning dew, Each thing depends on something, And I depend on you. I can be happy, or I can be sad, I can be good, I can be bad, It all depends on you T is for Tongue [Text] This is when I was doing ballet dancing. See, I used to do lots of ballet dancing too, and I had the ballet slippers. And I can remember, the only pic…, they took a picture of me, somebody did. And I had that picture for years, and I would give anything to have that picture now. Because you know what it was? Here I was in my toe slippers, up on my toes like this and I was going like this and then my tongue was out. I was concentrating so hard. So it looked so funny with my tongue sticking out. Song: I’m sitting on top of the world Don’t want any millions, I’m getting my share, I’ve only got one suit That’s all I can wear.

A bundle of money, Won’t make you feel gay, A sweet little honey Is making me say: I’m sitting on top of the world, Just rolling along, Just rolling along, I’m quitting the blues of the world, Just singing a song, Just singing a song. R is for Rotten Shoes [Text] You know he always would polish his shoes. But any way, he would be in the stenotype, in the typing room, and by the window, and he’d tilt the chair back like this and put his foot on the ledge somewhere. And now look it, he chair would be tilted back like this and he’d be watching for me coming down Richard Street. Yeah and I’d see him in the window there looking down the street at me right away. And then of course, as soon as he’d see me coming, down went the chair of course, Oh yeah, and he did that every day. How on earth could I pass? And he’d latch onto me and wouldn’t let me go. Song: Always Ev’rything went wrong, And the whole day long I’d feel so blue For the longest while, I’d forget to smile Then I met you Now my blue days have passed Now that I’ve found you at last. I’ll be loving you ALWAYS With a love that’s true, ALWAYS When the things you’ve planned Need a helping hand I will understand, ALWAYS, ALWAYS Day’s may not be fair, ALWAYS.