Mary Worth's Secret

Mary Worth’s Secret You’ll see her snow white hair With a bound round bun in the back. She’s traversing the shopping mall, Un-noticed now by one and all. Blue flowered calico is what she wears, Black oxfords to protect old feet, But Mary has a secret – A secret, I repeat When her oatmeal bowl is washed, put away, Mary takes the street car to start her day; At the nails shop in the mall Timidly she enters, no need to call. An Asian lady asks her desire And takes her to find a polish, A polish for a pedicure; Mary Worth carefully peruses and picks it. Bright Cherry Red chock full of glitter As bright as a neon sign, Into the foot bowl she splashes her feet, By design, by design. Chopin is playing gently, Over the trickle of a fake water fall. If they talk about her in their language, She doesn’t mind – at all, at all. How happy she is in such luxury, Two hours in another world, A dreamland where she had once belonged, Long ago, as a sweet young girl. Reality set in as her oxfords she donned. Used a silver coin for the street car home. That night she would slip into pillows of silk, And admire her sparkly glowing toes. Her secret is safe as she takes Her life’s place with her secret hidden toes. She’ll dance all night to “Coupla jiggers of moonlight,” And sweet dreams of romance long ago,