I Worked In Ten Forward at Shoneys (By-Granny J)

I found a second job at Shoneys
"Salad Bar Attendant"? asks the computer
as I clocked in
I acknowledged..."yes"
I worked in ten forward at Shoneys
The salad bar compressors hummed and throbbed
like I imagine a giant star ship does
and I pretended I was streaking through space
at the speed of light
as I stacked dishes and wiped spills
The customers went round and round
Consuming cold and hot food
and soup and fruits
Sometimes I imagined they were ants
Come to a gigantic picnic
Sometimes...termites knawing away at the bar
My coworker sometimes jabbed the tongs quite roughly down into the food
and I reminded her to be gentle, not so angry
she scared the customers
(She looks a little like Olive Oil in the Popeye Cartoon)
When I carried a stack of plates or bowls
I cradled them in my arms
and imagine they were my babies...
I'd never drop my babies
When I told my supervisor
about my imaginings
he looked at me just like my
parents always use to do
one of those "join the real world" looks
no acceptance of "me" there
but he appreciates my work
even gives positive feed back
once a year..he's young yet
I worked in ten forward at Shoneys
and it felt like home...
smelled good when I walk in the door
It was painful by the end of a shift
But at least when there's pain
You know you're still alive
I worked in ten forward at Shoneys
It was wonderful exercise
That lettuce chopper works the whole upper body
and when I cleaned it with the spray hose
the steam helped my complexion
sure beats paying club exercise fees!
and Shoneys paid me!
I worked in ten forward at Shoneys
"Clock Out"? asked the computer
I acknowledged "yes", another shift done
I grabbed three suckers from the basket near the cash register
and headed on home
It took three suckers to suck my way home--

(After Note: I always thought it would have been nice if the computer had said "Welcome Granny J. Have a good shift" when I first checked in and said "Bye, be well and safe" when I checked out. Oh well, maybe next century.)