"Put That One in Your Hat!"

My father's comment
when we gave excuses like
"the cat came in and ate it up"
"Lily tipped and spilled my cup"

"I'll do it" "Ashes need a real good shaking"
Ernie looks, "I'll get right to it
I'm busy now but later on
you can be sure that I will do it"

Now Esther said in leaving
"just let those dishes stack
I'm going out, just a little while
you know I'll be right back"

My father: "Put that one in your hat!"

My mother in her later days
when ever she had doubt
picked up the phrase
herself, and often it came out

Getting tired of needles
the poking here and there
they'd tell her, gently, "it won't hurt"
and she would show them where

It hurt, told my sister Lily
"give me the needle, you will see
I can do it – don't be silly
Give the needle back to me"

When she was told that in her bed
she couldn't hold the cup
of milk, "put that one in your hat," she said
and proceeded to drink it up.

My father: "Where's my hat?
I left it right here," he said
My mother: "Put that one in your hat.
You left it on the bed"