veggie balls

mom and pop tiny cafe, vegan food
sensitive to everything
gluten nuts dander etc etc etc

the front entrance blocked off
with a phalanx of picnic tables,
signage everywhere: COVID

i await my order
not under the strawberry tree
but curbside, under an umbrella

bandanna all bandit relaxed
at my neck
unless proximity dictates otherwise

the car parks illegally in the adjoining lot
taking "the cunt out of country" goes the song
and breaches the obvious impediments

to unmasked spit vegan orders
at the staff at the distance of a baguette
as i enjoinder PUT on a MASK

to moron out to fetch a lesson
as i mill about he goes to his car
and produces a stained napkin on strings

which can't contain his gall
as i retrieve my 21 dollars worth of 50 cent noodles
in an ounce of hundred dollar a pound cashew sauce

"mask" he calls, put on your mask
which the last straw rejoindered
if they wanted more conversation about 2 feet distance

trespassing inside a safe zone
operated by my friend for the public good
i'd be more than willing to educate

to which he wisely demurred,
showing vegan backbone is almost as strong
as vegetarian balls.



5-30-20
Portland Or

* text in "quotations" are not my
words nor do they please me or strike me
as humorous, being part tree.