The Wisdom of Gourmet Pizza
This afternoon Kathrine* and I walked to a pizza place,
her summer dress contrasting with my cashmere warmth
its that kinda day.
Her little angel plays with the 18 month old at the next table
while we sip lemonade and iced tea, dissecting our lives and marriages.
She feeds tomato slices to her son,
And claims to be emotionally secure,
detached and cool, in total control of her life.
I can kick him out anytime without batting an eyelid, she adds,
as if that were the ultimate in feminine achievement.
And does that bring you joy ? I ask.
It eliminates unhappiness, she remarks,
which is more than you can say for yourself.
I nod a silent assent.
What of dreams, and sacrifices
softness, love and romance ?
i ask in old fashioned bewilderment.
She looks up at me, surprised
and breaks into a wistful, indulgent smile:
You give yourself away!
Men desire so much less -
Good food, great fuck, fake orgasms - all it takes.
We give our hearts, and souls
Eternal love, softness, deep rooted emotions.
A hot bitch can fill in for you and me.
She pauses, lifting the pizza to her eyes, studies it in silent concentration
as if the recipe for happy coupling were etched on the crust, basil leaves and chopped tomato.
Then samples it in slow deliberation of repressed memories
“Men desire so much less than what their wives are”,
she smiles, gently wipes the baby’s mouth, kisses him softly,
and powders another layer of wisdom onto her beautiful face.
Over the next few gourmet pizza slices, this young 30 year old
initiates me into the secrets of modern womanhood.
Men desire so much less
the words ring in my ear, repeatedly
12 dollars and some change
and a generous tip to the waitress
is all it cost for a glimpse into the male psyche.
And I have to wonder……..
*A sad poem for a friend going thru changes. Name changed to protect identities. |
