I never thought to write about Billy, before
And now I know why that's true
It's not because I didn't like Billy
Because I did
It's not because Billy wasn't cute
Because he was
(And for all I know, he still is.)
It's because I saw Billy as silly
And when a cute guy acts silly ...
Well, silly and threatening do not a matched set make
So when Billy parks his bike at my front door
And rings the bell
And asks me to come out
Time and again
I do
And each time I see him standing before me
I can't help but smile
Just like I'm smiling
Right now!
Because his antics are so over the top
That I laugh and laugh until my face hurts.
On the other hand
Somehow, Grandma T.
(Who'd lived with us)
Doesn't find Billy funny—at all!
In fact she thinks he's nuts!
I know that, because—
Rather than calling Billy
Boychick, bubbula
Or any Yiddish endearment
Grandma sputters
Something like:
Vilda Chaya! (wild animal)
Ferblunjit! (all mixed up)
Fermisht! (an acute disturbance)
Fershlugena! (messed up)
Goniff! (a shady character)
And saving the best for last—
Meshuggena! (a wild and crazy guy!)
And at those times when Grandma's yelling
This or that
She's chasing
This fershlugena meshuggena
Down the street
Swinging her broom
While Billy
Forgetting his bike
Is running for his life
I kid you not!
And if you'd like to know
Why
This scene repeats
Again and again
Well ...
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