Hide And Seek

me and all the kids from the neighbourhood

we play out in the street all summer long

rule was we had to go home at nite when the street lights came on

we were oblivious to the rest of the world

we hold up the cars in the street

we always played boys against girls

and both sides would cheat

strange men would stop their cars at the curb

say "hey sweetheart, come here"

and i would go up to the window

and they would have their dick out in there hands

and a sick little sneer

i'd say "here we go again

yeah, this time you win"

i would feel dirty; i would feel ashamed

but i wouldn't let it stop my game

we would play hide and go seek

territory would be the whole block

sometimes the older boys when they find you

they wouldn't want to tag you

they just want to talk

they say "what would you do for a quarter?

come on, we don't have that much time"

i'd think for a minute and i'd say

"ok, give me the quarter first. fine"

this time you win

here we go again

and i would feel dirty and i would feel ashamed

but i wouldn't let it stop my game

i remember my first trip alone on the greyhound bus

a man who put his hands on me as soon as nite fell

i remember when i was leaving how excited i was

i remember when i arrived i didn't feel so well

i remember the teachers who got me so sick

scared, i went into the bathroom and i threw up in my hair

i could go on but you know what it just gets worse

so i should probably stop there.

girl, next time he wants to know what your problem is

girl, next time he wants to know where the anger comes from

just tell him this time the problem is his

just tell him the anger just comes

it just comes