by Langston Hughes

by Langston Hughes
     You say I O.K.ed
     LONG DISTANCE？
     O.K.ed it when？
     My goodness， Central
     That was then！
     I'm mad and disgusted
     With that Negro now.
     I don't pay no REVERSED
     CHARGES nohow.
     You say， I will pay it
     Else you'll take out my phone？
     You better let
     My phone alone.
     I didn't ask him
     To telephone me.
     Roscoe knows darn well
     LONG DISTANCE
     Ain't free.
     If I ever catch him，
     Lawd， have pity！
     Calling me up
     From Kansas City.
     Just to say he loves me！
     I knowed that was so.
     Why didn't he tell me some'n
     I don't know？
     For instance， what can
     Them other girls do
     That Alberta K. Johnson
     Can't do——and more， too？
     What's that， Central？
     You say you don't care
     Nothing about my
     Private affair？
     Well， even less about your
     PHONE BILL， does I care！
     Un-humm-m！ . . . Yes！
     You say I gave my O.K.？
     Well， that O.K. you may keep
     But I sure ain't gonna pay！