THE WAITRESS – D.E. La Valle

On days when I don’t want to work
My body Cocoon-like
I imagine
Passing through purgatorial loops
Mind narrowed to a pinpoint
Arms and legs swinging
Heavy
Each plate
A fish-scented Sisyphean effort

                                          ——

I take immense pleasure in disappointing people
Disrupting the effortless flow
Set in motion by accident of birth
No gluten-free
No vegetable oil
No kale salad
No sweet potato fries
No grilled tilapia
No Perrier
No honey for your decaf coffee
But
My micro-power does not make me drunk
I am aware of its pathos
Its ultimate futility

Danielle La Valle is a writer of fiction and poetry. She has been writing stories since she was seven and has managed to fine-tune a quirky imagination into a unique voice. She likes to use supernatural themes as a way of navigating the female experience in general, and more specifically the experiences of high-functioning autistic females.