Listen my friends, and you will hear . . .

The story of a boy that will bring you a tear.

In Harlem town, the story is well known

Of a boy named Roger who was mostly alone.

The folks in Harlem knew him well

And everyone had a tale to tell.

He was known around town as a bad one

For all the things that he had done!

The most famous tale is what I will share

Listen carefully now if you dare

You see Roger decided he needed new shoes.

No matter how he got them, he had nothin’ to lose.

So, it all started when he spied a large purse

This would be easy, cuz he’d done much worse

Roger thought an old lady is an easy mark.

Then, he’d just make a run in the dark.

He grabbed this old lady’s large purse with a real yank

But then Roger lost his balance and sank

Now since Roger had fallen and couldn’t get up,

The old lady was face to face with this screw up.

Luella Bates Washington Jones wasn’t going to let this boy go

Till she shared with him all that she did know

Of course, Mrs. Bates, she had to know why

Roger told her ‘bout the blue suede shoes he just had to buy

She told him to ask and not just take

How that would be a better decision to make

She told him to go and wash up his face

The way he looked now, it was a disgrace

Then she fixed some ham and lima beans to eat

Roger thought her to be the strangest lady he’d meet

But Roger began to feel different just about then.

And decided he should not steal again.

He saw that Ms. Jones was really fair

But most importantly, she really did care

So, this is where Roger’s story ends

Or . . . actually where his new life begins

That night Roger changed his life

He soon finished school and then married a wife

He grew up to be a responsible man

Everyone in Harlem had become his fan

Roger was kind and charitable to everyone

And he never forgot what Mrs. Jones had done.

Everything changed on that dark night. . .

When Roger finally saw the light!