He Laughed Without Stopping…. Poem by Louise Tredoux

Such a brilliant plan, so neatly executed, based
on a Barbara Steisand movie, just enroll with an
agency and get paid for wearing funny costumes
and bang men over the head; the painted lady
said I must be willing to do anything, and I was
and I still am, so when I wore an apron – as
Barbara Streisand, immortal film star, did in her
movie - and a guy knocked and crept up and I
banged him over the head with a frying pan –
should I have used a rolling pin? – following the
actress to a T, and he lights out, what did Barbara’s
character do next? – I couldn’t very well remember,
I called the agency and asked them about that

When the lady fell silent, I reminded her of the
Hollywood movie and confessed I didn’t understand,
but part of the job had been done, she screamed
“You’re fired! ” and I was very angry, I did everything
right as far as I understand, I saw the movie many
years ago and determined that one day I would try
it also – when Rudi came home and leant of my
plan, he was angry, said if I wanted to flirt with men,
I should do it somewhere else; I swallowed and
stared, I was trying to make money to pay the flat,
the Barbara Streisand way – why was he angry? –
I cried and gave him the name of the agency, he
ended up laughing, said I was a dunce and a fool

But that he loved me, the stunt I had pulled was quite
cool; he knew some of the men on the list, I didn’t
understand, but Rudi has money to pay the flat and
the lady at the agency was quite amiable when I spoke
to her - sent me some more money and said we do
understand each other, don’t we Honey? – It was
the first time another woman called me that; I felt
so thrilled, I agreed and accepted with glee, paying
all into Rudi’s account – such an amount can only
help him – when he came home and heard it all,
he laughed without stopping…