duck-shaped pain

Not on purpose, of course. I showed up and there they were.

The parking lot should have been a hint. Mail trucks everywhere. Not a place to park.

Not sure if this was some sort of spontaneous thing, or an organized outing. The post office must not be doing too well, though, because all the mailmen had gathered at a dollar-a-scoop Chinese restaurant. The last resort for broke people who are obsessed with egg rolls.

I get my food, sit down. Blue shirts and shorts everywhere.

What do mailmen joke about on their lunch breaks? Nothing unusual. They don't discuss the strange names they saw that day or what package that big red house on the corner got today, their third package in as many days. Nothing makes mail less exciting than being a mailman.

Curry chicken and lo mein. I'd wanted Chinese food for days but had been hesitant to shell out for it.

"Oh yeah, I need to tell you something."

The Employer had pulled me aside.

"I know payday is around the first, but I'm not going to be able to pay you until the 12th."

Lots of vague reasons. Busy busy busy. Vacation, you know. Things get in the way.

So I had $2 Chinese food instead of the decent stuff, instead of waiting and having the decent stuff delivered. $10 minimum for delivery. Think of what else you could get for $10.

Every time I come in this place, the staff is eating. Noon? Eating. 3 p.m.? Eating some more. 11 p.m.? Just finished eating.

It always looks so good, what they're having vs. what I have in front of me in this white foam plate. Large bowls filled with brown broths and shrimp. Elaborate platters of vegetables. I want to go over and ask them if I can have some. Why they don't sell that instead of congealed egg flower soup.

"Is that dish too spicy? Because I don't like spicy." Someone is ordering. They are enquiring about the sesame chicken. Which is never spicy, even when it has the little chili pepper next to its name on the menu. Now I know. Not like I didn't know before.

Still, the mailmen joke and talk. I eat my food in silence, asking myself, Why did I settle for this? You should be better to yourself. Go home and have a sandwich or something.

Sometimes, though, you can't get lo mein out of your mind.

previous | next