Write Me A Novel

For your enjoyment:

McDonald’s, 8:47 AM

The morning crowd has dissipated
The crew enjoys some leisure time around the fry vat
The lady in the blue shirt
I think she’s a manager
I think she’s a humanities major
Is putting on lipstick
I think she wants to kiss someone
Or maybe she just woke up late

Three old guys reading papers
And watching CNN
On the flat screen on the wall
Retired, I’ll bet
From “the shop”
Plus the freelance writer with his laptop
(“freelance writer” sounds better than “jobless guy”)
Listening to Clapton

The big boss comes out from the back
“I don’t want no shake! I don’t want no shake!”
He barks to the crew
They scatter, pretend to work, careful not to shake
One of them makes a breakfast burrito
Another bags it
Another takes the money from the drive-thru window
The rest… help

Two old ladies walk in
One is wearing a jogging outfit
The other is wearing too-short pants
They order their food
Or their senior coffee
No creamer

Then, in my mind, things change
Romance springs eternal
Two of the old guys come up to the counter
See the old ladies
Love at first sight,
Or a second chance at love
Or third time’s the charm
Doesn’t matter, so long as they’re together

The girl working the drive-through window
Hears the voice of her boyfriend through her headset
He orders seventy years,
Plus three kids,
Hold the resentment.
“Would you like fries with that?”

The manager puts on a little more lipstick
Seductively, as the big boss changes his tone
“I wanna shake! Oh baby, I wanna shake!”
She grabs him, and they do
They shake to Richard Marx
(Not sure how he got in here)
Then they go in the back
And act like lovers act

That last old guy
He’s still sitting there
He looks up from his paper
He looks up to the heavens
“I’m coming, my love,” he says
Then breathes his last breath
Through a wide smile
Death never looked as content

Then the jobless guy looks up
The manager is trying not to frown as she hands some guy a bag
(Not sure how he got in here)
With two hash browns, coffee, and an Egg McMuffin with extra
Everything