When they refused to serve my mother
late to the table
I said we could not frequent their establishment
and got up
in a huff.
It’s a shame
that not all of my party
was as quick
to follow my gesture.

My father
found it necessary
to finish our bread sticks
before getting up
to abandon the restaurant
that had treated my mother so shabbily.
We waited for him
by the door
as he took all of our time
licking the basket clean
before joining us.

"What the fuck was that?"
I asked
when the finally closed behind us.
"I was hungry," he shrugged.
"We still are," I said.
We found a better place to eat.

That place we abandoned is gone now
and so is my dad.
My mother continues
to not get served
by either one.