You Should Patent This Singlet, Oh!
When he could not lift his arm anymore
when he could not bend his elbow
his shirt he could not button or zip
how would he put it on now, how on earth would he wear it?
He could before, with therapist’s steps
with therapist’s aid, he could
but now those steps and now those aids
they can’t help him anymore. So,
we invented a method
to put on his nice shirt
it took many moves, it took lots of time
for the mall and the church, he must look fine. But,
every day, and twice a day,
while staying inside the house?
’twas too many moves, it took too much time,
for him and also for us.
A problem like this, it seems so small,
but it has gall, and you can crack,
it’s just like that straw on that camel’s back. Now,
I cannot recall whose idea it was
or how it all came about
a Pagoda singlet from Old Town it was
we went, we parked, we bought.
Where it rests on your shoulder, it’s cut by the tailor
on both sides he works
on the right on the left, some velcro is sewn
now from the top it can open!
He scissors the length of the whole of one side
and oh me, oh my, the singlet can now open wide! And,
Mrs. Lai, nursing sister, she’s at our house one day
she’s come to take his blood, to send to the lab today. We’re
spreading it out
the singlet that’s been cut
as quick as a wink half a Pagoda we bring
we cover his chest, now velcro the side, now velcro the top,
before she can blink, he is dressed. “Oh!
I’ve never before seen something like this,
this we should have in the ICU,
oh, this we should use in the HDU.
I’ve never before seen someone with this,
you surely should patent this singlet, oh!
many would be helped by this.
Never before seen something like this
Never before seen someone with this
in all my years as a nurse, oh!
in all my years as a nurse.”
