Smile, smile

Is it true if you can’t make it until death do you
in this place
you still have to serve your in-laws
breakfast
there being only one or two cafes for
Sunday out,
and them being chummy with your boss?
Eat it,
suck it up with a big smile and say,
“I always
did like you better’n him, anyway,”
or hope
they’ll be so kind to say it as he sits with the
new bride
across the street in the other place.
“Besides,” says
your ex father-in-law, “Johanna does make
a fine
bacon-and-eggs.” Your ex mother-in-law, whom
you took
to the city for the false alarm tests
to see
if that bad cough was cancer doesn’t
say much,
but she makes sure to count your tip
exactly. Can’t
be shorting you, but then again -
she IS
his mom, you know she hopes you’d do
the same
for the grandson you never gave her.
Clear off,
set the four top. Here comes the church crowd.
Smile, smile.