At Your Local Grocery

Rock, smooth, fun, unique, emotional, groovy, woman’s ecoustics

Why do you treat me like this? 
Why do you yell? 
I am not the CEO of this company

I am a store clerk.
Trying, always trying 
To make a buck or two,
To feed my family
To feed the many mouths of my babies, 
They do not understand why
I am away for so long,

I am not the CEO of this company
I am a pawn 
A nobody 
Just trying to pay my rent 
And ensure that my babies get a meal
Or two… 
Nothing more,

They need school supplies
Clean shoes
Without holes where their toes peak through

My babies are constantly growing 
No matter how much I beg time to
slow down 
So that their childhood doesn’t
pass me by

I’m always running 
Faster than I have strength, 
I am far too weary 
To take this verbal diarrhea 
From you.
 
I’ve worked a 12-hour day
Only to end my second shift 
At minimum wage 
To hear you shout at me 
Like a toddler crying for gum 
Because the price of your ice cream 
Wasn’t a dollar or two cheaper

I am not the CEO of this company 
I also have a word or two
for HIM
Please pay me 
A buck or two more 
To feed my family
So that I can stay home 
A moment-or-two longer…

Before their childhood 
Passes me by
And my home is empty

Because, when they are grown 
and gone,
I cannot hug their little bodies 
And kiss their tear-stained cheeks 
Put colourful Band-Aids on 
their boo-boos

Kiss their skinned knees 
And hold them in my safe, warm arms
Until the boogie man creeps out of their closet, 
Or slithers out from under their bed
On the floor.

Please, Mr. CEO, pay me a buck or two more, 
Allow me to chase away the boogie man,
And tell my babies that everything 
is going to be ok 
Mommy is here now…
I don’t have to be away for so long…

Please sir, Mr. CEO, do not allow 
all this time to pass me by 
In this store 
Scanning item, by item 
Only to feed the small tummies
of my sweet babies

Please help me quickly 
Before I’m no longer their favourite person, 
Their hero walking home to kiss them all 
goodnight, 
To ensure that they all had something to eat

Then lay my weary head down
on my own pillow,
Before I wake to start the work
all over again,

Only to have another person
Watch my own sweet, babies. 
Who doesn’t love them like their own, 
And who gets to raise them
in a way that I wouldn’t, 
Because I am stuck here 
Day after day, 
Hour-by-hour
Behind this counter at quarter to nine,

Only my second shift of the day,
Just in time to hear one man’s displeasure 
Over a dollar or two 
Of ice cream.

I take a deep breath and remember 
my sweet babies
Waiting long hours at home
to kiss their momma goodnight 
I cannot risk losing this job
by telling you just how I feel about you, 
customer.

So, I just nod and smile
Return your change with apologies
to make things better 
For you

But… 
How can I change the price for your ice cream?
When I cannot 
change the dollar for me?

2955/7500

Why do you treat me like this? Why do you yell? I am not the CEO of this company I am a store clerk. Trying, always trying To make a buck or two, To feed my family To feed the many mouths of my babies, They do not understand why I am away for so long, I am not the CEO of this company I am a pawn A nobody Just trying to pay my rent And ensure that my babies get a meal Or two… Nothing more, They need school supplies Clean shoes Without holes where their toes peak through My babies are constantly growing No matter how much I beg time to slow down So that their childhood doesn’t pass me by I’m always running Faster than I have strength, I am far too weary To take this verbal diarrhea From you. I’ve worked a 12-hour day Only to end my second shift At minimum wage To hear you shout at me Like a toddler crying for gum Because the price of your ice cream Wasn’t a dollar or two cheaper I am not the CEO of this company I also have a word or two for HIM Please pay me A buck or two more To feed my family So that I can stay home A moment-or-two longer… Before their childhood Passes me by And my home is empty Because, when they are grown and gone, I cannot hug their little bodies And kiss their tear-stained cheeks Put colourful Band-Aids on their boo-boos Kiss their skinned knees And hold them in my safe, warm arms Until the boogie man creeps out of their closet, Or slithers out from under their bed On the floor. Please, Mr. CEO, pay me a buck or two more, Allow me to chase away the boogie man, And tell my babies that everything is going to be ok Mommy is here now… I don’t have to be away for so long… Please sir, Mr. CEO, do not allow all this time to pass me by In this store Scanning item, by item Only to feed the small tummies of my sweet babies Please help me quickly Before I’m no longer their favourite person, Their hero walking home to kiss them all goodnight, To ensure that they all had something to eat Then lay my weary head down on my own pillow, Before I wake to start the work all over again, Only to have another person Watch my own sweet, babies. Who doesn’t love them like their own, And who gets to raise them in a way that I wouldn’t, Because I am stuck here Day after day, Hour-by-hour Behind this counter at quarter to nine, Only my second shift of the day, Just in time to hear one man’s displeasure Over a dollar or two Of ice cream. I take a deep breath and remember my sweet babies Waiting long hours at home to kiss their momma goodnight I cannot risk losing this job by telling you just how I feel about you, customer. So, I just nod and smile Return your change with apologies to make things better For you But… How can I change the price for your ice cream? When I cannot change the dollar for me?

0/500