Hide and Seek - Ani DiFranco

Me and the other kids from the neighborhood

We played out on the street all summer long

Rule was, we had to go home at night when the street lights came on

We were oblivious to the rest of the world

And we’d hold up the cars in the street

And we’d always play boys against girls, and both sides would cheat

Strange men would stop their cars at the curb

And say, «hey, sweetheart, come here.»

I’d go up to the window and they’d have their dick out in their hand

And a sick little sneer

I’d say, «here we go again

Yeah, ok, this time you win.»

And I’d feel dirty, I’d feel ashamed

But I wouldn’t let it stop my game

We would play hide and go seek

And territory would be the whole block

Sometimes the older boys, when they’d find you

They wouldn’t want to tag you, they’d just wanna «talk.»

They’d say «what would you do for a quarter?

Come on, we don’t have much time.»

Then I’d think for a minute and say,"ok, give me the quarter first.fine."

This time you win

Here we go again

And I would feel dirty and I’d feel ashamed

But I wouldn’t let it stop my game

I remember my first trip alone on the greyhound bus

A man put his hands on me as soon as night fell

I remember when I was leaving, how excited I was

I remember when I arrived, I didn’t feel so well

I remember a teacher in school that got me so sick, so scared

That I went into the bathroom and threw up in my hair

And I could go on and on, it just gets worse

And I should probably stop

Girl, next time he wants to know what your problem is

Girl, next time he wants to know where the anger comes from

Just tell him this time the problem’s his

Tell him the anger just comes

It just comes