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Reaching across table.  Grasping empty plate.  Carrying armfuls of dishes piled high, food scraps, silverware.  Vanishing.  Returning.  Cleaning table.  Setting up.  Next customer.  Invisible.  Ignored.

 

 

Slipping items off table into purse.  Eyes meeting.  Flower vase, salt & pepper shakers, sugar packets.  Looking down.  Seeing breasts through gap in blouse.  Stealing look.  Smiling.  Mute.

 

 

Cups, saucers, silverware, plates clinking, crashing, clanging, cracking.

Listening.  Stories.  Jobs.  Bosses.  Coworkers.  Neighbors.  Secrets.  Freaky.  Rear Window.  Stop.

Men.  Gossiping.  Discussing.  News.  Opinions.  Each other.  The usual.

Girl arriving.  Front door.  Bright sunlight, dress transparent.  Men laughing.

 

 

Shutting door.

Cleaning toilets.  Gross.  Sick.  Mopping.  Sanitizing.  Safe.

Watching.  Lovers kissing.  Things happening.  Under table.  Stop.  Shaking head.  Walking away.

Whispering.  Please.  Talese.  Not that hotel.  Stop.

 

 

Dumping trash.  Emptying grease.  Cleaning this.  Cleaning that.

Speaking.  Changing with the wind.

Public voice.  Private voice.  Phone voice, friend voice, stranger voice.

Summoning.  Ordering.  Waiting.  Receiving.  Complaining.

 

 

Do this.  Do that.  Yes sir.  Yes ma’am.  Sure boss.  Sure cook.  Sure waiter, waitress. Sure kid.

Entering.  Impatient.  Blocking, bumping, demanding.

Bringing stuff.  Own booze.  Own food.  Pouring, mixing, making.

Shouting, laughing, screaming, crying.

 

 

Leaving.

Left behind.  Snot rags, bandaids, toothpicks, chewing gum, matchbooks, envelopes, hair, blood, expired phone cards, empty pens, old tickets, crumpled papers, doddles, buttons, empty packages, fuzz balls, maps, guides, newspapers, phone numbers, addresses, bugs, paper bags, notes, business cards, to-go containers, baby food packets, coats, hats, phones, lists, pill bottles, rotten fruit, fingernails, floss, unwanted candy, plastic bags, bibles, books, packing material … tips not shared.

Flailing.  Epileptic attack.  Spoon in mouth.  Waking.  Dazed.  No memory.

 

 

Sending signals.  Body language.  Eyebrows, hands, fingers, arms, shoulders, necks, heads, legs, feet.  Telltale signs.  Detecting.  Table manners.  Public face.  Private face.

 

 

Relating.  Updike.  Eyes, mouth, lips, tongue, nose, ears, torso, torture, piercing, being.  Punishing.  Stop.

Throwing.  Spoiled child.  No stopping.  Vacuuming.  Repeating.

 

 

Reflection.  Window.  Looking.  Straightening hair, shirt, pants, skirt.  Applying lipstick.

Food smears.  Food stuck.  Mouth, face, teeth, hands, clothes.  Pull out.  Wash up.  Clean off.  Leave on floor.

Reading newspaper.  Sipping coffee.  Oblivious.

 

 

Drunk.

 

 

Sleeping.

 

 

Depressed.

 

 

Starry eyed.

 

 

Writing.  Drawing.  Making lists.

Buying.  Selling.  Legal.  Illegal.

Arguing.

Posturing, positioning, propositioning.

Business, sports, people, politics, religion.

Dropping names.

Planning.  Today.  Tonight.  Tomorrow.

Chatting.

 

 

Parents, spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends.

Pain in the ass.  Stab in the back.  Slap in the face.  Kick in the shins.

Nothing ever happens.

Ending.  Bang.  Whimper.

Turning and turning.

Laughing.  Singing.  Entering, mascara smears on face, stinking of urine.

Out, damned spot!  Out, I say!

A walking shadow.

Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah.