Table Manners

Warrior woman walks proudly
Close to where I sit in the street,
I notice her mute smile buried under scars.
Our eyes meet.

I bow my head.
“Sorry sis”, I say quietly “I got nothing”.
My friend looks at me, searches through her bag
“I might have something?”

I respect the warrior woman, ask “What’s your name?”
Her eyes are focused behind me.
Focused on another place
Along Todd Mall.

Suddenly her focus is at my shoulder,
“We told you before” Waitress yells in my ear.
“You have to leave,”
“You can’t ask for money here.”

Warrior woman walks proudly
Away from where I sit today.
Her scarred face turns, smiles with her words –
“She’s just jealous!”
Ali Cobby Eckermann