Marian:
Mama, a man with a suitcase followed me home
Mrs. Paroo:
Oh--Who?
Marian:
I never saw him before
Mrs. Paroo:
Did he say anythin'?
Marian:
He tried
Mrs. Paroo:
Did you say anythin'?
Marian:
Of course not, Mama!
Now don't dawdle, Amaryllis
So do la ti mi
A little slower and please
Keep the fingers curved as nice
And as high as you possibly can
Don't get faster
Mrs. Paroo:
If you don't mind my sayin' so
It wouldn't have hurt you
To find out what the gentleman wanted
Marian:
I know what the gentleman wanted
Mrs. Paroo:
What, dear?
Marian:
You'll find it in Balzac
Mrs. Paroo:
Excuse me fer livin' but I never read it
Marian:
Neither has anyone else in this town
Mrs. Paroo:
There you go again with the same old comment
About the low mentality of River City people
And takin' it all to much to heart
Marian:
Now, Mama
As long as the Madison Public Library was entrusted
To me for the purpose of improving River City's cultural level
I can't help my concern that the Ladies of River City
Keep ignoring all my council and advice
Mrs. Paroo:
But, darlin'--when a woman has a husband
And you've got none
Why should she take advice from you?
Even if you can quote Balzac and Shakespeare
And all them other highfalutin' Greeks
Marian:
Momma, if you don't mind my sayin' so
You have a bad habit of changin' ev'ry subject--
Mrs. Paroo:
Well, I haven't changed the subject!
I was talking about that stranger--
Marian:
What stranger?
Mrs. Paroo:
With the suitcase who may be your very last chance
Marian:
Mama!
Do you think that I'd allow a common masher--
Now, really Mama!
I have my standards where men are concerned
And I have no intention--
Mrs. Paroo:
I know all about your standards
And if you don't mind my sayin' so
There's not a man alive
Who could hope to measure up to that blend'a
Paul Bunyan, Saint Pat and Noah Webster
You've got concocted for yourself outta your Irish imagination
Your Iowa stubbornness, and your liberry fulla' books!