There's always one.

The person
with eagerness.

A deaf ear
to safety
and knowledgeable warning.

The one
who after being notified

about the plate's
sizzling temperature

will reach to grab
said plate from the waiter

who is using four
(or more)
thick folded towels

barely protecting himself
from the inferno
that is baked dishware

resting gingerly
upon forearms
holding upwards
of five
(or more)
pounds

in a balancing act
a magician
could be proud of

and therefore disrupt
the process entirely

until the one
either snaps out
of meat and potato dreams

or the choir chant of warning
bellows from the other diners

and allows the food
to be safely placed
in front,

and invariably
will shift the plate
with a couple fingers

while snapping back
in shuddering pain

muttering to the other patrons
with humility personified:

"Wow! That plate is hot!"

10/10/2008

Posted on 10/10/2008
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