Hide and Seek - hightstown, n.j.

me and all the kids from the neighbourhood
we play out in the street all summer long
rule was we had to go home at nite when the street lights came on

we were oblivious to the rest of the world
we hold up the cars in the street
we always played boys against girls
and both sides would cheat

strange men would stop their cars at the curb
say "hey sweetheart, come here"
and i would go up to the window
and they would have their dick out in there hands
and a sick little sneer

i'd say "here we go again
yeah, this time you win"
i would feel dirty; i would feel ashamed
but i wouldn't let it stop my game

we would play hide and go seek
territory would be the whole block
sometimes the older boys when they find you
they wouldn't want to tag you
they just want to talk
they say "what would you do for a quarter?
come on, we don't have that much time"
i'd think for a minute and i'd say
"ok, give me the quarter first. fine"

this time you win
here we go again
and i would feel dirty and i would feel ashamed
but i wouldn't let it stop my game

i remember my first trip alone on the greyhound bus
a man who put his hands on me as soon as nite fell
i remember when i was leaving how excited i was
i remember when i arrived i didn't feel so well
i remember the teachers who got me so sick
scared, i went into the bathroom and i threw up in my hair
i could go on but you know what it just gets worse
so i should probably stop there.

girl, next time he wants to know what your problem is
girl, next time he wants to know where the anger comes from
just tell him this time the problem is his
just tell him the anger just comes
it just comes