Sheila Charles BLAME ME
I was supping tea at a café
When a middle-aged lady walked past.
She accidentally knocked my chair.
I heard her mutter, ‘Blast.’
She apologised profusely.
I said, “Don’t worry. It’s okay.”
Then she added, “I get blamed for everything.”
I said, “Well, you’re not getting blamed today
Because my chair was sticking out.
The table leg was in the way.”
But that made me think about
the words that she’d said –
‘I always get blamed for everything.
I wonder if that saying’s widespread
As it reminded me of my friend
Who lives in Wellington now. We phone.
She has moved in with her partner.
She used to live on her own.
Whenever anything goes missing
SHE says SHE gets the blame
And whenever she told me that
I always thought ‘what a shame.’
And then it suddenly struck me,
Who else could it be
When there were only two of them there?
At my place, it’s always ME!
Then I thought again –
Sometimes I can be a bit dim –
Her partner might be the one to blame.
It could very well be HIM!
She had told me he was forgetful
So it was easier for him to say,
“Where have YOU put my glasses?”
Than to blame himself, eh?
So the solution to the problem,
Obviously seems to be,
Only live in a household
Where the minimum number is THREE.
Then it could always be one of the other two.
Problem solved, you’d have to agree.
illustration by ume-nori
