1 Rainy Afternoon March 1962 The best place to spend a rainy afternoon is Lila's basement in the house beside mine swaying on her checkerboard floor singing along with Brenda Lee Lila likes the fast songs I like the slow ones to feel the shiver of each note floating from the record player Lila's wearing a blue collared dress with short puffy sleeves Her ponytail tied up in a matching bow She says next time I shouldn't come still dressed for school in a brown sweater and plaid skirt I should wear something nice for pretending we're on TV We both dream of singing on Ed Sullivan's Sunday night show of being Brenda Lee
2 who's only 4 foot 9 and gives us hope that someone small can still be famous They've called her Little Miss Dynamite since she was twelve two years older than Lila and me I'd love a nickname like that one I could be proud of I'd love to open my mouth one day and show the world my big beautiful sound But right now I am happy just to be dancing in my best friend's basement believing all my dreams will come true
3 Two Babies on a Blanket I met Lila when I was six months old not that I really remember of course Momma says we were two babies on a blanket bows on bald heads staring at each other Mrs. Cummings Lila's momma likes to have coffee and cookies with mine So cute the way you two grew up together Mrs. Cummings often says Side by side In houses maybe not in height Lila's been smaller than me smaller than everybody our age since we took our first steps in her mother's lemon yellow kitchen That hasn't stopped Lila from taking the lead She's the baby of three girls and has learned to speak up fast before all the best chocolates are gone from the box
