Late night Thai food
930 PM
We should sleep
But my mom is sick
Says her throat hurts
She’s coughing


One of our usual waiters
Jack
Is wearing different clothes
Tan slacks
Blue collard shirt
Where did the Thai clothes go?
I ask
In my head
Very loudly

Another waiter
Jay-Jay
Is going to LA
On Monday
To get a new job
Managing a sushi making company
She can’t pronounce
The title of
Her new position
She jokes with us
Saying, “ill have to work on that”
With a smile


It’s chilly where we sit
Our warm spicy soup
Filling our bellies
Clearing our heads
We eat it with rice
It adds texture

There are two people sitting across the isle
They sit
On the edge of the booth
Instead of against the wall
Like most people

They have a baby
In a stroller
Mom is playing with the baby
Making her laugh

I can’t help but notice
There’s a small tare
In the fabric
Of the netting
On the stroller

I can’t help but wonder

How it got there