Once, when our mother called

She had a voice of last year's cough

We passed around the phone

Sharing a word about Oregon

When my turn came, I was ashamed

When my turn came, I was ashamed

Once, when we moved away

She came to Romulus for a day

Her Chevrolet broke down

And we prayed it never be fixed or be found

We touched her hair, we touched her hair

We touched her hair, we touched her hair

When she had her last child

Once, when she had some boyfriend, so wild

She moved away quite far

Our grandpa bought us a new VCR

We watched it all night, we grew up in spite of it

We watched it all night, we grew up in spite of it

We saw her once, last fall

Our grandpa died in a hospital gown

She didn't seem to care

She smoked in her room, and colored her hair

I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her

I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her

I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her

I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her