A Trip to the Library

[ILONA, spoken]
I didn't know what to do or where to go
And somehow, my feet started walking down the street
Across the bridge, past the Metropol Cinema
And do you know where?

[SIPOS, spoken]
No, where?

[ILONA]
Right into the library!

[SIPOS]
The library?

[ILONA]
Can you imagine?

[SIPOS]
(laughter) Well, how did you like it?

[ILONA]
Oh, you've never seen such a place
So many books!
So much marble
And so quiet

(sung)
And suddenly all of my confidence dribbled away with a pitiful plop
My head was beginning to swim and my forehead was covered with cold perspiration
I started to reach for a book and my hand automatically came to a stop
I don't know how long I stood frozen a victim of panic and mortification

Oh, how I wanted to flee
When a kindly voice, a gentle voice
Whispered, "Pardon me."

[SIPOS]
"Pardon me?"

[ILONA]
Uh-huh

And there was this dear, sweet
Clearly respectable thickly bespectacled man
Who stood by my side and quietly said to me, "Ma'am
Don't mean to intrude, but I was just
Wondering are you need of some help?"
I said no, yes I am

The next thing you know I'm sipping hot chocolate and telling my troubles to Paul
Whose tender brown eyes kept sending compassionate looks
A trip to the library
Has made a new girl of me
For suddenly I can see
The magic of books!

(laughter)

I have to admit in the back of my mind I was praying he wouldn't get fresh
And all of the while I was wondering why an illiterate girl should attract him
Then all of a sudden he said that I couldn't go wrong with The Way of All Flesh
Of course it's a novel, but I didn't know or I certainly wouldn't have smacked him!
Well he gave me a smile that I couldn't resist
And I knew at once how much I liked this
Optometrist

[SIPOS]
Optometrist?

[ILONA]
Op-tom-e-trist

You know what this dear, sweet, slightly bespectacled gentlemen said to me next?
He said he could solve this problem of mine
I said, "How?"
He said, If I'd like he'd willingly read to me some of his favourite things
I said "When?"
He said "Now!"
His novel approach seamed highly suspicious
And possibly dangerous too
I told myself, wait, think
Dare you go up to his flat?

What happens if things go wrong
It's obvious he's quite strong (laughter)
He read to me all night long
Now how about that!

It's hard to believe how truly domestic and happily hopeful I feel
I picture my Paul there reading aloud as I cook
As long as he's there to read
There's quite a good chance, indeed
A chance that I'll never need
To open a book
Unlike someone else
Someone I dimly recall
I know he'll only have eyes for me
My optometrist Paul