[ROSE, on the phone]
Hello, Pa
It's long distance
It's your brand new Southern daughter
It's Rose
Oh, everything is fine here, I suppose
How's the Hudson River?
I'm fine, just fine
I'm learning the lingo
Magnolia, camelia, azalea, y'all
The temple, get this
Has Sunday Night Bingo
Just like the goyim
Oy
A long distance call
So much to tell
The boy still hates me
I really shouldn't be talking so loud

He leaves money in his pockets
And that really grates me
I tell him and tell him it's not allowed
Just shucking your laundry-
You hear that? 'Shuck?'
I'm a Southerner already-
Onto the floor
Take the money out first
God knows we're not poor
But show respect for your father
He worked hard for that buck-
Well, no, not a whole buck, he's a boy
But loose change, quarters
Those add up
The Negro maid
She's making bupkes
How does that look?
Leaving change in his pockets?
Indifferent to money
The kid's a little funny
Spoiled and quiet
Sad, I guess
I'm on a diet
I bought a new dress
Stu's giving lessons, playing, doing fine
The work is steady
He still misses Betty
I don't mind
I miss her too
She was my best friend
I miss the city
I miss the old crowd-
What?
Because we haven't got-
We can't give her a raise, Pa
We aren't rich, we're just plain folk
We've only got bupkes ourselves
We're broke
It's typical
You obsess about the maid while your daughter's miserable
No, not miserable, I never said-
Well, it's not what I meant
I'm just not
Just not a hundred percent
It's very hot
And very damp
And out in the backyard there's a little swamp
Full of noisy frogs
Last night I cried
I miss you, Pa
I miss the Upper West Side