No chargemelba montgomerywriter: harlan howardrecitation:my little boy came into the kitchen this eveninand'while i was fixinand' supperand he handed me a piece of paper heand'd been writinand' onand after wipinand' my hands on my aproni read it - and this is what it said:for mowinand' the yard - five dollarsand for makinand' my own bed this week - one dollarand for goinand' to the store - fifty centsanand' playinand' with little brother, while you went shoppinand' - twenty-fivecentstakinand' out the trash - one dollargettinand' a good report card - five dollarsand for rakinand' the yard - two dollarstotal owed - fourteen seventy-five.well, i looked at and'im standinand' there expectantlyand a thousand memand'ries flashed through my mindso i picked up the pen, turninand' the paper over,this is what i wrote:for nine months i carried yougrowinand' inside me - no chargefor the nights iand've sat up with you,doctored you, prayed for you - no chargefor the time and the tears.and the cost through the years, thereand's no chargewhen you add it all up.the full cost of my love is no charge.for the nights filled with dreadand the worries ahead - no chargefor advice and the knowledgeand the cost of your college - no chargefor the toys, food and clothes and for wipinand' your nosethereand's no charge, sonwhen you add it all up,the full cost of my love, is - no charge.recitation:well, when he finished readinand'he had great big old tears in his eyesand he looked up at me and he said,andquot;mama, i sure do love you.andquot;then he took the pen,and in great big lettershe wrote: andquot;paid in full.andquot;when you add it all upthe cost of real love is - no charge.from: andquot;oldtimerandquot; andlt;oldtimer@dzn.comandgt;