[Lyric] Act 1 Scene 3: Remember the boy… Laurie Ma (Aaron Copland)

(Laurie picks up her books and heads towards the house.)

[MA]
That you? Laurie?

(She comes out of the house.)

Why are you so late?
Grandpa's almost home. You know how mad he gets
When you're not here on time

[LAURIE]
Please, Mother, it was such a
Summer afternoon

[MA]
You've been getting very dreamy lately
There's better use for your time
Than dreaming it away

[LAURIE]
But sometimes, don't you wish
That you could get away
That you could leave us all bеhind
For just a summer's day?
[MA]
You're just as bad as Beth

[LAURIE]
For just a summеr's day?

[MA]
Just don't let Grandpa catch you dawdlin' `long the road

[LAURIE]
I don't care what Grandpa thinks anymore

[MA]
For shame, Laurie!
He's done so much to see you through school

[LAURIE]
I know all he's done and
All you've done too
But both of you make such a fuss

[MA]
If only I'd had the chances you'd had…

[LAURIE]
Grandpa loves me
But he doesn't understand
He treats me as if I was still a little girl
Like I don't have a life of my own
[MA]
He loves you so

[LAURIE]
Remember the boy that used to call
That worked at the store in town?
That boy that meant so much to me
That might have been my own
Ma, I might have learned to love him
I hoped and prayed that Grandpa could learn
To see the things that meant so much to me
But when I showed my heart that day
He turned and sent the boy away
He turned and sent him away
Oh I was so ashamed!

[MA]
But Laurie, that happened months ago
Did it mean so much? Grandpa couldn't know

[LAURIE]
I'll never forgive him!

[MA]
Forgive him. He's old
You're all that he has. Be kind to him
After tomorrow you'll have your own life
I promise
[LAURIE]
As long as I live here
I'll never have my own life
No matter what you promise

[MA]
I'll see to it myself

[LAURIE]
You couldn't get him to see

[MA]
I'll talk to him

[LAURIE]
He wouldn't understand you

[MA]
Why do you say that when I've promised?

[LAURIE]
I know you'll keep your promise
But you couldn't make him understand
When you yourself don't understand

[MA]
But I do, I do!

[LAURIE]
No you don't, you don't!
How could you when you've never had your own life?

(Ma slaps Laurie, then recoils.)

[MA] (crying)
I'm sorry, sorry
Please, Laurie
Don't upset your Grandpa tonight
Be ours for just tonight and tomorrow
Promise me. Won't you, Laurie?

(Laurie goes to embrace her.)

[LAURIE]
I promise, I promise
I want to do right

(Ma turns and goes into the house. Laurie goes to follow, but hearing the approach of two strangers, she hides.)