Despite

A stranger mugged my day. It was at my favourite restaurant.

A fries and burger one. A fry fell on the floor and it rolled sideways.

For a joke I went after it. I used my tongue like a crane.

Rolled the fry around trying to get in into my mouth.

For a second. I was on my back. Then a voice sat on my face.

Told me that’s enough. The fry MUST NOT be treated like that.

Said she was then officer from the RSPCF. I wasn’t cruel.

I couldn’t speak in my defence. I grabbed her thighs.

Couldn’t breathe. She wore vinyl. My hands slipped off.

This wasn’t good. I was suffocating. She was a big girl.

Then. To my relief the barista came over and had words.

She got off me. Took the fry and went outside.

I went after her. It was my fry. Give it back. She stopped.

I looked at her. She looked at me. Gloria is that you?

Wayne is that you? It’s been a long time. Hasn’t it?

After all these years. Wasn’t school a bore. No, it was fun.

That’s when our first disagreement happened. In grade three.

We argued through the rest of school. Argued at uni.

Disagreement was the big attraction. Who would give in first!

It was a game. No hard feelings. It was good for me.

Not for her. She went off after our last disagreement.

She said. The back wall of the supermarket is all one product.

I said. In the back of the supermarket were many products.

We asked a checkout. I was right. First time we got another in.

Now we’re having coffee. Talking old times. There’s been gaps.

She became a suffragette. She became a lesbian. She’s angry.

Everything has a right. She’s been through them all.

But not fries. She was the pioneer. Began the RSPCF. 

Didn’t matter if they were French, fat, curly or else-what.

No discrimination necessary. She’s currently the president.

The secretary. The treasurer. The member. The activist.

Sometimes she does stand-up. Does potato jokes.

Like, what do potato men say to their sons?

You’re a chip off the old block. Ha ha. Ironic absurdist.

She doesn’t have any issues. She lives with her cat. Jeremy.

She’s gone militant. Shouts topless at politicians.

Funny how I’ve never seen her on the news. She doesn’t do TV.

Only Facebook. Ah, I told her. I don’t do social media.

Does she have many friends? Two. But that’s enough.

Jeremy’s great at it. But what about the other?

Oh, you mean, you-know-who. Not sure about that person.

Not even sure if the person is real. Yang phobia.

Nice seeing you, Gloria. Nice seeing you Wayne. Maybe.

We should catch up. I thought about it. OK. Next week. Tuesday.

I’ll be at my favourite restaurant. I’ll be ordering fries as usual.

One’ll drop on the floor. I’ll try and tongue it. On the floor.

Sure. That’s when I come in and sit on your face. Exactly.

This is good. No disagreement. I always liked Gloria. Despite.