Madam and the Phone Bill

　　 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！