The Dinner

Stan,
he's a man,
who likes to complain,

on the phone,
face to face,
it doesn't matter,

the type of guy,
you feel sorry for,
after you spit in his food,
because he's alone in a booth,

absent are his friends,
family,

his cell phone sits,
idly,

a paper weight,
on a stack of napkins,

It only rings,
when debt collectors,
seek payments,
from a previous life,

he was married,
and happy back then,

vibrating softly,
straight to voice mail,

Now divorced and unemployed,
his eyes linger,
At pointless game,
played on a TV far away,

Stan's team never wins,
on any day,

Alas,

not everything is so bad for Stan,
as he sits ready to begin,
an endless rib challenge,

The waiter arrives,
late as usual,
Stan frowns and pouts,
demanding a sequel,

The waiter scurries away,
like a cockroach in bright lights,
leaving Stan alone,
with his though and his might,

Stan glances at his dish
and upon further observation,
the ribs are too dry,
the sauce is so sparse,

and what is this?

a hair,
Stan just stairs,
raising his hand,

as a child across the way,
points,
and laughs,

Stan takes notice,

A bully in disguise,
with parents
              no less,

Stan drops his fork,

                      what a clatter,

His face turns red,
sticking out his tough,
the child returns the favor,
no more no less,

Stan stands now,
and shouts to address,

A hair!
how dare you!
sell me this plate
with a hair!

holding it up,
for all to see,
Stan eats to whole,
for all to see,

the child barfs,
upon the showing,
the manager came,
to whisking Stan away,

the customers were groaning,
jeering at the site,

But there Stan sat,
in a fresh seat,
service with a smile,
stuffed and beat,

But off in the distance,
Stan notices something he has long forgot,

a girl sitting alone,
shedding tears,
upon the new jersey turnpike,

unable to control himself
Stan shouts again,

you there,
girl,
why do you cry,
your worries away,
come have a seat,
it'll be my treat,

she turns,
and smiles,

i would,
but i lost my job,
for there was this giant douche,
who ate my hair,