Introduction

Just Another Girl

I remember, I remember the night that I was born,
It was dark and stormy, but I couldn't wait 'til morn.
Dad went for the doctor, he was in bed fast asleep.
He opened up one beady eye, and said. "I think she'll keep."

But he was wrong because he was a silly old twit!
He didn't know the kind of babe that he was dealing with!

I lay there on my mother's bed, a lovely little bundle,
Dad took one look, "Another girl? Throw her out the window."
I deeply resented that, it cut me like a knife,
So I determined then and there, I'd be the torment of his life.

I chased the cat around the house, I even pulled its whiskers.
I chased the hens, I scared the geese, and then I teased my sisters.

Poor Tabby Cat wandered off one day and got into some strife,
Caught in a trap, and tangled up, she lost her ninth life!
My sisters cried, my mother sighed, I laughed at all their tears,
Father said that I was cruel, and bent down and pulled my ears.

At dinner time I sat so still, and pretended I was good!
But I peered wickedly at my sisters , and put them off their food.
I told some jokes and teased them 'til they ran off in tears,
Then I ate up all my food, and started in on theirs.

I ate that food, I enjoyed it all, it fulfilled all my wishes,
But I always had a tummy ache when it was time to do the dishes.

When we went berry picking, I ate all the biggest berries,
I climbed up the cherry tree and gorged myself on cherries.
I stirred up the hornet's nest near my little sister,
They swarmed out and stung her, I don't think one of them missed her!

When I jumped down from the hayloft, almost cut my tongue in two,
Father said it wasn't a proper thing for a little lady to do.
But I wanted to be a tomboy, a grubby little lad,
Not just "another girl" as he had always said.

I kept it up through all the years, I kept them in a whirl,
And when I left they missed me, as the oyster misses the irritation of the pearl.
I bet Dad wished he'd never said:
"Throw her out the window she's just another girl!"

Copyright; Vida Rideout
Email: vidavan@optusnet.net.au