"Go on forth young graduates,
And show us who you are
You're now our future leaders
We know you will go far"
And so commencement ended
Pictures done and people changed
Now, off to private parties
All orderly pre-arranged
But four young girls stood waiting
Until they were alone
"Let's head out to the party
And tomorrow, we shall phone,
Each other and we'll organize
Our final tete a tete
We'll plan something so special
A thing we haven't thought of yet!"
So, they went their separate ways
And they thought of all the places
That would hold a fitting luncheon
For their girls group "The 4 Aces""
They all got home around half past five
And all slept till half ten
After breakfast, phones were ringing
As they planned to meet again.
They picked a little tea house
called "Flavored Leaves of Green"
They would meet for a tea party
They would really make the scene
A week today they chose to meet
To celebrate together
They'd meet for tea and cakes
Regardless of the weather
And one more time, they'd choose to wear
The prom dress from that year
Big frilly hats, and long white gloves
and all that froo froo gear
The day arrived and they showed up
All ready for their tea
The Aces all decked again
Their luncheon was at three
The girls all talked about their plans
Of school and summer work
Two would council campers
While the other two would clerk
They loved their day and played the part
Of ladies with no cares
They knew it was the only time
They'd dine here, to be fair.
The final act of these four friends
Before they left and packed
Was to sign a pledge between them all
You could say, a small pact
"In twenty years from this day forth
We'll meet again for tea
On July twenty seventh
Of the year Two thousand three"
The sheet was signed and on their way
They booked their reservation
The girls all hugged and said goodbye
To end their celebration
Now time went by as it always does
And each girl went a different way
But in twenty years, they all looked forth
To meet again that day
The firtst Ace, Jill, went on to school
And married while she studied
She lost track of her Aces friends
Their paths were slightly muddied
She went to school in Omaha
A vet she chose to be
Her marriage lasted fifteen years
And...well, children...she had three.
Andi, chose to work instead
She left town to chase rainbows
She knew that here, her *** of gold
Would be wherever she chose
She moved out to Chicago
Where she was a big success
She became a photo artist
With a Lakeshore Drive address
Cindy, well...dear Cindy
Married five times through the years
Each one was shorter than the last
And one....just fifteen beers
They chose to split the very night
They they chose to become one
He left with her head bridesmaid
And the catfight....it was fun
Cindy spent two nights in jail
For beating up her beau
And she really laid a beating,
In her words, "Upon that **"
Lucy, never did leave town
But she let on that she did
For at high school graduation
She was pregnant with her kid
Her boy was born at Christmas
She did not even tell his dad
He was off to find his fortune
And she sometimes wished she had
But, she made up tales to tell her son
Of who his father was
But, she never told the truth to him
And that was her son's loss
She worked around the village
Never really getting out
She did her best for her son Jamie
There never was a doubt
She loved this boy with all her heart
And so she chose to stay
She'd sacrifice her future
And she'd dream of "just what may"
have happened to her if she left
If he had not been born
But, to her, a life with out him
Made her feel sad, forlorn
Twenty years past by so fast
The Aces plans were set
Each one had hoped the other
Would not dare to forget
Allthough good friends in high school
They'd never kept in touch
They went different directions
Their new lives, well....were their crutch
Cindy was the first to show
So, she stayed outside to smoke
When a voice came from behind her
And she knew just who had spoke
Lucy, grabbed her arm
And then she hugged her really tight
At least two of the four Aces
had remembered, got it right
They went inside to grab a seat
And Jill came in behind
And over by the bar was where
Andi, they would find
They all dressed up and wore big hats
And prom dresses as a lark
And they sat and told their stories
Of their lives till after dark
They vowed that they would stay in touch
And that they would converse
They all agreed they'd talk this time
And nothing could be worse
Than twenty years of silence
Between friends like the Four Aces
Even though they lived such different lives
They missed each other's faces
Another pact was signed this night
But this one for five years
To meet again for tea and cakes
And they signed it through their tears
Cindy left to catch her flight
and Andi left as well
Then Jill got up and hugged Lucy
And then she bade farewell
This left Lucy all alone
At the table all alone
When a gentleman came over
And he sat down with a groan
"Your party was successful"
Lucy smiled at his words
He was the tea house owner
A collector of rare birds
She thanked him for the party
It was one she could not miss
And on her way out past him
She gave him a light kiss
For not only did the tea room
Belong to this kind man
He was also her employer
For, 'twas his kitchen that she ran
You see, now it's been twenty years
Since they went to lead their lives
Some becoming so successful
Some becoming moms and wives
But Lucy, never left this burg
She raised her son alone
And she'd worked at this small tea house
It was her second home
She did not have the money
To come in as a guest
But her boss, was a sweetheart
And he'd made this night the best
Tomorrow she'd be back at work
Making meals for those who came
To the "Flavored leaves of Green"
and she'd be Lucy, once again..
..
For Kelly....