The love is priceless.

NO CHARGE Melba Montgomery Writer: HARLAN HOWARD Recitation: My little boy came into the kitchen this evenin’ While I was fixin’ supper And he handed me a piece of paper he’d been writin’ on And after wipin’ my hands on my apron I read it – and this is what it said: For mowin’ the yard – five dollars And for makin’ my own bed this week – one dollar And for goin’ to the store – fifty cents An’ playin’ with little brother, while you went shoppin’ – twenty-five cents Takin’ out the trash – one dollar Gettin’ a good report card – five dollars And for rakin’ the yard – two dollars Total owed – fourteen seventy-five. Well, I looked at ‘im standin’ there expectantly And a thousand mem’ries flashed through my mind So I picked up the pen, turnin’ the paper over, This is what I wrote: For nine months I carried you Growin’ inside me – NO CHARGE For the nights I’ve sat up with you, Doctored you, prayed for you – NO CHARGE For the time and the tears. And the cost through the years, there’s NO CHARGE When you add it all up. The full cost of my love is NO CHARGE. For the nights filled with dread And the worries ahead – NO CHARGE For advice and the knowledge And the cost of your college – NO CHARGE For the toys, food and clothes and for wipin’ your nose There’s NO CHARGE, son When you add it all up, The full cost of my love, is – NO CHARGE. Recitation: Well, when he finished readin’ He had great big old tears in his eyes And he looked up at me and he said, Mama, I sure do love you. Then he took the pen, And in great big letters He wrote: PAID IN FULL. When you add it all up The cost of real love is – NO CHARGE. From: oldtimer