Jacqueline Woodson - Far rockaway lyrics

Robert only says long enough for my mother to thank him for buying our tickets for getting us home. He does a fancy turn on his heel, aims two pointer fingers at us says, I'll catch up with all of you later. We tell him that he has to come back soon, remind him of all the stuff he's promised us trips to Coney Island and Palisades Amusement Park, a Crissy doll with hair that grows, a Tonka toy, Gulliver's Travels, candy. He says he won't forget, asks us if he's a man of his word and everyone except my mother nods. Hard not to miss my mother's eyebrows, giving her baby brother a look, pressing her lips together. Once, in the middle of the night, two policemen knocked on our door, asking for Robert Leon Irby. But my uncle wasn't here. So now my mother takes a breath, says, Stay safe. Says, Don't get into trouble out there, Robert. He gives her a hug, promises he won't and then he is gone.