Grocery Money - Liz Rose

She kept the twenties folded up

Behind her favorite picture of her and her daddy and her brother

Grand Canyon nineteen-something-or-other, and the sun was going down

And they were standing with their backs to the world

Tuesday afternoons she’d pick me up from school

Big yellow Buick, and we’d do all the things moms and daughters do

Couple of dresses, brand new pair of shoes

She could never say no to her baby girl

We’d empty the cart one piece at a time

While the milk and the bread and the corn made the register chime

She’d stand there so confident and sunny

While I prayed we had enough grocery money

There was pan steak and peas at least once a week

She always grabbed a couple cans of Campbell’s soup for me

Chef Boyardee in a box and soda for the scotch

To keep our daddy’s disposition good

He worried more than a daddy should

Emptied the cart one piece at a time

While the milk and the bread and the corn made the register chime

She’d stand there so confident and sunny

While I prayed we had enough grocery money

And I never thought twice

About her sacrifice

One afternoon a week she’d spend her afternoon on me

And I got anything I wanted

And we’d hide it in my closet

We’d empty the cart one piece at a time

While that milk and the bread and corn made the register chime

And she’d stand there so confident and sunny

And she’d look down and smile, and call me honey

While I prayed we had enough grocery money