Maria

She calls me

lady as she

takes my order

as if I was

someone to be

respected. I am

not, but look

at the men

red-faced with

their distended

stomachs like

children. She

sees us as she

wishes we were.

Ladies and

Gentlemen on

important business.

So are we, work

horses in a different

way. Taking orders

and pretending

we respect those

who bark. Cogs

to the greater

machine. Fourteen

days to believe

in the greater good

of capitalism.

What’s your

name? She asks

smiling under

the sun. Lena.

She thinks it’s

beautiful. I think

she’s beautiful.

Maria.