Eating Karma

Just a thought.

 

I was standing in line in a restaurant today, ordering a salad to live my lifelong diet,

thinking of grandsons and bright futures, and teasing the young man behind the counter

who was having fun teasing me.

             “What will you have?” he smiled.

             “Um,” I thought and glanced up at him as he shook his head.

             “We don’t serve ‘um’ anymore,” his smile widened into a grin.

The pure happiness of his youth spread out like sunshine. Some mother’s pride and joy.

What a handsome young boy; the son I failed to give you.

              “I guess a salad will have to do.” I laughed as I took a step away, then had to turn back his way,

              “I didn’t bring my reading glasses. Would you tell me my order number?”

I handed him my receipt.

              “328.” He even had the kindness of your eyes, I thought, which warmed my heart on such a cold winter day.

 

Anyway,

I’d stayed up much too late writing, then up early, I had things to do. I turned and walked a few paces away to wait my turn.

 

I didn’t want to hear,

I wasn’t trying to stand too near,

when he told the man beside him,

             “I bet she was a beauty in her day.”

My hand went to the gray streak in my hair,

My thoughts to the tiredness in my bones from a long night of writing,

the ache in my back from picking up a box I knew was too heavy. 

           “Did you see the dark circles under her eyes?” His friend wasn’t being unkind.

            “No makeup,” he shook his finger at his friend, “Girls these days wear too much makeup.”

 

Lately I’ve had to eat a lot of Karma for things I did and said

without thinking,

without meaning to be unkind,

without remembering there was a person,

there inside;

each an unopened book I should have read.

 

Author's Note

Painting by Teodor Axentowicz

Reviews

[Too Me]

I love this story as you have woven it together so beautifully. The ending speaks for all of us as we will all answer to "Karma"! The endingwas very thoughtful

[arbitrary jane]

each an unopened book... so very true.
each of us walking stories, full of humor and truth and things that arent' always perfectly acceptably formed, but are beautiful for their real-ness.

the form is impeccable, and the moment captured, immense.

[Chasity Bowlin]

Just wonderful... I loved the wording, the randomness of encounters and how even the most brief exchange has the power to lift us up or wound us deeply. Beautiful.

[Jeff Loquist]

this is just beautiful..in its depth...in its simplicity...like a story we all should not just listen to...but hear

[Emily B]

Coming back to words like these is a special treat on days like today

[Gastroc.]

this is beautiful. i must say i got goosebumps!

[Emily B]

Oh, oh, how did I miss this? I spend very little time preening in front of my mirror before I get to work at 5 am. My co-workers are kind enough not to notice that my hair is air-dried and my make up is spare. . . This is a favorite.

[Ed Hart]

I'm sure you've got it down to where you get instant feed back... Ed

[Dana Kathryn]

Very well done!!! I really like this! :0)
DKB-

[Fabian G. Franklin]

My dear friend, don't you know that youth is wasted on the young? We who have lived so much longer and would know how to use it (if we only still had it) are far more deserving of it! Life is SO unfair! ROTF...I loved this Mimi and I love you too my dear friend, dark circles and all! As for staying up writing all night, I simply MUST leave you with this poem by Lillian Arline Walbert: The Poet...Ever I must sing/As poets have;/The old tradition keep/To laugh or weep/In some forgotten attic/As they have done/Rousing the world from sleep/To laugh or weep/ Ever I must bring/As poets have/The passions of life and truth/From the bosom of youth/That never rouses itself in me/But leaves in its wake/A verse; an ache. ..........I love that poem and wanted to share it with you.