Because It Is Important To Be Assertive Americans Speak Fairly Loudly
Oh my god, she yells,
so that the whole subway car can hear her,
Dylan got into school, she says with glee,
There was only one spot left and we got it.
We found out when we got back from France.
You’ve been to Paris before right?
You do speak French don’t you?
My god, Dylan is only three and already
she speaks French.
You must go to France.
I can’t believe you’ve never been to France.
You’ve got to convince that husband of yours
to take a day off work and go on vacation.
It’s healthy! Look at Mona’s husband. Heart-attack city.
I’m not kidding.
They found him at his desk at work.
Poor Mona, she never got to France.
And now, who knows if she will?
Funerals are so expensive
and I don’t think they invested well.
Also,
you can’t go to Paris alone.
That’s just depressing.
You don’t want to be like that right?
Not Every American is Ambitious, Patriotic, Money-Grubbing or Even Unsophisticated
We are all exhausted, a long flight
from Rome to Dublin,
waiting to catch the next one
back to America
eating at the Burger King
because it’s the only thing open.
I wait on line,
while my husband
has our bags back
at the table.
The woman next to me
sighs loudly and tells
everyone that she’s been
waiting 15 minutes for a milkshake
for her son,
who stands next to her
too old to be crying over a milkshake.
Where is it?
The woman demands,
waving her hands
around
and the girl from Dublin
who had no choice
but to work in the airport
Burger King
is trying to explain
that the machine isn’t working
and also, it’s 7 in the morning,
a fact the woman reminds
her doesn’t matter.
What is wrong with this country?
she asks
and then later
back at the table
her son says,
Dad, Europe is
kinda
sorta
retarded,
huh?
Yes it is, Son.
Don’t worry,
his father tells him.
We’ll be back in the US soon.
In the good old USA
where you can get
a milkshake
whenever you want.
Make Your Stay in the Land of Opportunity a Pleasant and Successful One
I follow him
nervously
through the subway car
the money folded in my hand
Giving money to people has always been my husband’s job.
Not mine.
He tells the same story,
each time,
about his wife
and their new baby
about getting laid off
these days we hear it all the time.
Be careful, my husband tells me
People are getting desperate in this city.
On the rare night that we are out
there are more homeless kids in the village
that I ever remember seeing.
Just be safe, he tells me.
I weave through the crowd.
He tells us his son’s name is Alex
which is my husband’s middle name
and I grip the money tighter.
I catch him right at the doors
right when he’s about to leave
and say
here.
He takes the money, nods and leaves.
The woman next to me shakes her head
and rolls her eyes
because I’m the one being
duped
on the long desperate ride home.
This city is made of iron
and nails
and you need to be too, honey.
Oh my god, she yells,
so that the whole subway car can hear her,
Dylan got into school, she says with glee,
There was only one spot left and we got it.
We found out when we got back from France.
You’ve been to Paris before right?
You do speak French don’t you?
My god, Dylan is only three and already
she speaks French.
You must go to France.
I can’t believe you’ve never been to France.
You’ve got to convince that husband of yours
to take a day off work and go on vacation.
It’s healthy! Look at Mona’s husband. Heart-attack city.
I’m not kidding.
They found him at his desk at work.
Poor Mona, she never got to France.
And now, who knows if she will?
Funerals are so expensive
and I don’t think they invested well.
Also,
you can’t go to Paris alone.
That’s just depressing.
You don’t want to be like that right?
Not Every American is Ambitious, Patriotic, Money-Grubbing or Even Unsophisticated
We are all exhausted, a long flight
from Rome to Dublin,
waiting to catch the next one
back to America
eating at the Burger King
because it’s the only thing open.
I wait on line,
while my husband
has our bags back
at the table.
The woman next to me
sighs loudly and tells
everyone that she’s been
waiting 15 minutes for a milkshake
for her son,
who stands next to her
too old to be crying over a milkshake.
Where is it?
The woman demands,
waving her hands
around
and the girl from Dublin
who had no choice
but to work in the airport
Burger King
is trying to explain
that the machine isn’t working
and also, it’s 7 in the morning,
a fact the woman reminds
her doesn’t matter.
What is wrong with this country?
she asks
and then later
back at the table
her son says,
Dad, Europe is
kinda
sorta
retarded,
huh?
Yes it is, Son.
Don’t worry,
his father tells him.
We’ll be back in the US soon.
In the good old USA
where you can get
a milkshake
whenever you want.
Make Your Stay in the Land of Opportunity a Pleasant and Successful One
I follow him
nervously
through the subway car
the money folded in my hand
Giving money to people has always been my husband’s job.
Not mine.
He tells the same story,
each time,
about his wife
and their new baby
about getting laid off
these days we hear it all the time.
Be careful, my husband tells me
People are getting desperate in this city.
On the rare night that we are out
there are more homeless kids in the village
that I ever remember seeing.
Just be safe, he tells me.
I weave through the crowd.
He tells us his son’s name is Alex
which is my husband’s middle name
and I grip the money tighter.
I catch him right at the doors
right when he’s about to leave
and say
here.
He takes the money, nods and leaves.
The woman next to me shakes her head
and rolls her eyes
because I’m the one being
duped
on the long desperate ride home.
This city is made of iron
and nails
and you need to be too, honey.
