The Lunch Rush
An observed exchange
Oct 26, 2022
The customer spits her order with averted eyes, eager to end the exchange.
Opposite her, the cashier’s gleaming brown skin is moisturized as a barrier against the kitchen grease.
Their inheritance, a strong work ethic, and a buoyant spirit.
Their lifestyle teeters from paycheck to paycheck.
Some days no eggs.
Others, no gas.
Their legacy, they hope, will be children who surpass them.
That dreams are more than hope seeded in one’s heart.
The transaction ends.
The customer, indifferent, leaves.
The cashier shrugs off the interaction.
Their dignity and worth dwarf their hourly wage.
