NOT THE VERY BUTTON

I could have a mansion on the hill I could lease a villa in Seville But it wouldn’t be as nice as a summer in Ohio With a gay midget named Karl, playing Tevia and Porgy I could wander Paris after dark Take a carriage ride through Central Park But it wouldn’t be as nice as a summer in Ohio Where I’m sharing a room with a “former” stripper and her snake: Wayne I could have a satchel full of dollar bills Cures for all the nations ills Pills to make a lion purr I could be in line to be the British queen Look like I was seventeen Still I’m certain I’d prefer to be going slowly batty Forty miles east of Cincinnati I could shove an ice pick in my eye I could eat some fish from last July But it wouldn’t be as awful as a summer in Ohio Without cable, hot water, Vietnamese food, or you I saw your book at a Border’s in Kentucky Under a sign that said “New and Recommended” I stole a look at your picture on the inside sleeve and then I couldn’t leave Richard, who was with me, got uncharacteristically quiet And he said, “All things considered, I guess you don’t have to buy it” So I smile like Mona Lisa, and I lay my Visa down He wants me, he wants me, but he ain’t gonna get me I’ve found my guiding light, I tell the stars each night Look at me, look at him Son of a bitch, I guess I’m doing something right I finally got something right No, it’s not Nirvana, but it’s on the way I play “Anita” at the matinee Then I’ll get on my knees, and pray I can state in my next bio: “I’m never gonna go back to Ohio!” I could chew on tin foil for a spell I could get a root canal in hell But it wouldn’t be as swell as this summer is gonna be! ‘Cause the torture is just exquisite, while I’m waiting for you to visit So hurry up, schmuck, get unstuck and get on the scene

Love, The midget, the stripper, Wayne the snake, and Mrs. Jamie Wellerstein That’s me!