company

a few days ago i saw something i’d never seen before. a helpful meter maid. she counseled someone in their car about how to park in a back-in only space. she teased a local business owner about having three tickets waiting for him on his car. she told another woman that if she had a ZONE 6 parking pass she didn’t have to pay to park.

i was taking this all in from my seat at a table in an outdoor cafe. my observations of the friendly meter maid were cut short by the chef of the restaurant. he began moving from table to table ripping off tablecloths that were unacceptable in appearance, asking for chairs to be replaced, telling the hostess to polish the metal fixtures at the door. she ran out in a little sun dress and flip flops holding a can of Sheila Shine metal polish in one hand, bunched up paper towels in the other hand. it was windy outside and she struggled with the spray. no matter where she stood, she was caught downwind of the toxic spray of Shelia Shine. a busboy came outside with some glass cleaner to polish windows. the secret service arrived to survey the premises. someone important was coming for a visit and the cafe needed to be bomb and terrorist free. and shiny.