On a Christmas cake day one Friday in August
In a book shop in Charing Cross Road
I first set eyes on a girl and at once I didn`t know
She had eyes like a poet and hair like a rainbow
Reflecting the lights that did glow
And the sadness she kept in her eyes
Struck my senses a blow
And so as by chance at the touch of a glance
We could find ourselves out in the road
With no crush of time to defeat us and no place to go
And I couldn`t say how but the coffee bar crowd
Had appeared through the silence that broke
And she said `Oh my father`s a judge in St Albans you know.`
Oh well, then perhaps I could help you
You know that St. Albans is miles away
And I`ve got a room in Swiss Cottage in which you could stay
She laughed `Oh I couldn`t do that, for I`ve got to be up in the
morning you see.`
So I rang up to find out the first morning train she could take.
And so in the gloom of a candlelit room
With spaghetti, two forks and plate
She said `Oh I really would like to be free and escape.`
Oh well if it`s like that, you don`t have to go back
and you`re perfectly welcome to stay
`But I`ve not finished school yet.` she said as she got into bed
And so as she slept and the pure morning crept through the windows
to take her away
I thought you can`t make people be what you want them to be
I could see my self nailed to a dormitory tale of a holiday night`s
escapade
And just yesterday she had seemed like a woman to me
and so like a child with the sleep in her eyes
Where the sadness of age had once been
She left on the train with a `See you again` and a smile
And I couldn`t say what I had won or I lost
Or even just what I had seen
But when I`m alone I just think of her once in awhile. Send "Stewart Al Swiss Cottage Maneuvers" Ringtone to your Cell