Nobody's home.

You realize this
when greeting the table
and you can hear
a pin drop.

When only one person
acknowledges
your existence
while the others
go about
doing their own stuff.

You introduce yourself
as if it mattered
and proceed to
get the beverage order.

You really grasp
the whole not listening thing
when he orders his meal:

"Yes, I'll have
the Filet."

"Sir, I am taking
the drink order."

"Medium Rare."

"But I just need
your drink order."

"What?"

"To drink, sir."

Once the beverages
are on the table
you continue to get
the meal order
and when you get back
to that same fellow
he says:

"Didn't you get
my order before?"

"That I did, sir."

In knowing
I did have it
because I was listening
I read it back
and got him to agree
that Medium Rare
was indeed fine.

Another gentleman
at the same table
orders a strip steak:

"as well done
as possible...
you can even butterfly that
if you need to."

We don't butterfly
anything
other than Filet
so wait we will
because they don't want
appetizers
and the 20 minutes
to cook that strip
is 20 too many

so wait we will
as I now recognize
the beauty
of them not
knowing my name.

11/07/2008

Author's Note: Breathe in. Breathe out.

Posted on 11/07/2008
Copyright © 2026 Jeffrey Parren