Madam And The Phone Bill

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!

This is one of a number of Madam poems by Langston Hughes that can be considered as a lonked series.Madam And The Rent Man http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/70753 Madam And The Census Man http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/show/70755 Madam And Her Madam http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/12621 Madam And The Phone Bill http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/12620 Madam’s Past History http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/70751