I like the lowbrow and the highbrow and all the brows in between, but I rediscovered this recently and it struck a chord
Just In Case
I’m going to the sea for the weekend,
in a couple of days I’ll be back,
so I’ll just take my little brown suit and a blouse
and a beret and carry my mac.
But what if the house is a cold one,
the house where I’m going to stay,
no fires after April, no hot drinks at night
and the windows wide open all day?
I’d better take one – no, two cardies
and my long tartan scarf for my head,
and my chaste new pyjamas in case they decide
to bring me my breakfast in bed,
and what about church on Sunday?
I could wear my beret and suit,
but if it were sunny, it would be a chance
to wear my straw hat with the fruit.
I can’t wear my little brown suit, though
not with the straw and the fruit,
so I’ll just take a silk dress to go with the straw
and a silk scarf to go with the suit.
I’ll just take my jeans and that jumper
in case we go out in the car,
and my Guernsey in case we go out in a boat
and d’you know where my swimming things are?
D’you think I should take that black velvet
in case they’ve booked seats for a play?
And is it still usual to take your own towel
when you go somewhere to stay?
I had thought of just taking slippers,
but they do look disgustingly old,
I’d better take best shoes and sandals and boots
for the church and the heat and the cold.
I daren’t go without my umbrella
in case I’m dressed up and it rains;
I’m bound to need socks and my wellies
for walking down long muddy lanes.
I’d rather not take my old dressing gown,
it is such a business to pack,
but s’pose they have breakfast before they get dressed
I’d have to have mine in my mac.
I’m going away for the weekend,
in a couple of days I’ll be back,
so I’ll just take my little brown suit and a blouse,
two cardies, my long tartan scarf,
my chaste new pyjamas
my straw hat with the fruit,
my silk dress, my silk scarf,
my jeans, that jumper,
my Guernsey, my swimming things,
my black velvet, my towel,
my slippers (no one need see them)
my sandals, my boots, my umbrella
my socks, my wellies
my dressing gown, no, not my dressing gown,
Ok my dressing gown,
and a beret and carry my mac.
Charlotte Mitchell