Stranger
sitting in
a Chinese restaurant
waiting for
fortune cookies
and the cook comes out
his shirt wet
from washing
and chopping
and mopping
and woking
and he starts systematically
clearing away tables
and looks over at me
inquisitively
and asks, “what nationality”
automatic reply
predictable follow-up
automatic reply
“no, I don’t speak the language”
silence
then the look
pity … no family
then he looks at tiny
“is she your only”
automatic reply
predictable follow-up
automatic reply
“we’re talking about it”
silence
then he looks at me
“she will be lonely …”
nod my head
and look at the floor
and say,
“just don’t know
if I could ever
love another
as much”
he smiles
and says,
“it’s the same.
I have two girls,
and it’s the same love.”
silence
is it
TL