4/16/2004

Waiting in line
with my daughter
and
many more than
ten thousand others
I am crowded
from behind
by
a tough little man
who refuses to
back off
when I ask him
and while
I might be able to
whip his ass
fighting
will cost us
our place in line
so
I hurry ahead
the few feet
between us
and everyone
ahead of us
finally reaching
the many tables
where
the serving women
are
short tempered
and weary from
feeding
a multitude of needs
but
when they discover
though
we have waited
our turn
that I parked
in the wrong place
they say
when
I should have
known better
because
everything was
clearly marked
though I saw nothing
that told me
I was in
the wrong place
and while
no one else
has been singled out
they bicker about
whether or not
they should give us
anything to eat
and
seeing that
getting angry is useless
and
having my pride
is useless
and
on the edge
of being humiliated
in the eyes
of my daughter
I am torn
between being
hopelessly frustrated
and making liberal use
of my intelligence
cunning
and awareness of
where I am
and
what I must do
to get
my needs met
a situation that
should be a no brainer
putting this place
behind me
forever
my ambition
not
pretending to be
better than I am
when
all quibbles aside
it is our turn.