Jelly and Toast

Words & Music by Christopher Kent

This is the story of Wicked Charlie
Who pretended he came from the south side of town
He was a real girl ghetto with his pink stiletto
And the women always followed him around
His life was scarred with going bar to bar (to bar)
But he always had a word to say
In fact, there seldom was a time he was without a good line
And he left another crying every day

He would tell them:
“I won’t remember if you gave me jelly or toast, no, no, no—
And I can’t explain it, but I’ll miss you more than most.”

This is the story of Bloody Mary
She made her home beside the five and dime
She didn’t need no mink fur to advertise her sphincter
Cause she got ‘em hook and sinker every time
She would loiter for hours among the artificial flowers
In the lobby of the Prince Hotel
And all the men, they were dying for a chance to lie in bed
With Bloody Mary ringing their bell

She would tell them:
“I won’t remember if you gave me jelly or toast, no, no, no—
And I can’t explain it, but I’ll miss you more than most.”

Well, Charlie and Mary got together on the sly
Every Thursday in the Laundromat
Charlie moaned about his ulcer, and she cried for a while
Then they did each other’s laundry after that
She sighed about her wrinkles, and he cursed his lost friends
While the dryers ate up their dimes
And when the cycle was through, they took their clothes and departed
But they never even said goodbye

They just said:
“I won’t remember if you gave me jelly or toast, no, no, no—
And I can’t explain it, but I’ll miss you more than most.”

Copyright 1973 by Christopher Kent. All rights reserved.