Coffee rings on countertop, shuffle of waitresses’ hips;
Late night workers and cancelled flights—layovers until dawn.
Strange town, stranger diner.
Always open—always serving.

Breakfast here is unaffected by time,
        Eggs, bacon, side of distress.

Waitress one:
Her husband is drunk again, she has that glazed look.
She is surprised you notice—her pen shakes.

Across the room.        Workers
        Flannel-clad, soot blackened palms, they talk nonsense,
                                                    and forget to tip.

Coffee rings on countertop, shuffle of waitresses’ hips;
Late night workers and cancelled flights—layovers until dawn.
Strange town, stranger diner.
Always open—always serving.

Breakfast here is unaffected by time,
        Eggs, bacon, side of distress.

Waitress one:
Her husband is drunk again, she has that glazed look.
She is surprised you notice—her pen shakes.

Across the room.        Workers
        Flannel-clad, soot blackened palms, they talk nonsense,
                                                    and forget to tip.

A family sits—corner booth.
Cerulean in hand, coloring the sky.
Father: eyes to the table, hair between fingertips, muttering, meditating, feet on luggage ottoman.
Mother: holding daughter close, pigtails lay motionless.

Juke box plays decades. The cook hums along.
He once worked in a factory just outside of town inspecting undergarments.
              #27
His wife left him for a musician, took refuge in a blue-green Volkswagen—Dead Head sticker proudly attached.

The vespertine lights flicker. Out of the grit, Venus sparkles.
Folded newspaper, crimson ‘O’
Wanted: loyal, hardworking individual for third-shift stocking job.

Waitress-two sits curbside, cancer in hand.
Her arms rest on knees—she lets out a smoke infested sigh.
No one to go home to, no one to call.
She took this job so that she might one day leave this place,
The embers glow.
An ash dance.
Puff.

A few dollars tossed near syrup,
Soiled napkin, knife and fork spoon on platter.
The bell jingles,
Continue on.