There’s a bunch of people
in a restaurant, at a booth,
and they’ve all got instruments
which is not so strange, considering.

Except they’ve got the instruments
out of cases, with a pair of songbooks
and a jar for tips. Not so strange
except the restaurant doesn’t quite
usually field musical acts.

But they’re playing.

And the woman in the booth across
is lounging, with her head against her
hands, and a mask of absolute defeat
covering her rather lovely face

Well, the waitress stops and asks
her for he order, with a smile, and
the woman quietly answers all the
questions, including “Is there something
wrong?” Of course there is. Her
car broke down. it’s been a long
damn day.

But they’re playing

While the woman sits, she
listens to the music from the booth
across, and slowly, her mask works
it’s way loose, but just a bit.

So, she gets a bit more comfortable,
eyes closed and facing the ceiling
as the songs she never thought she’d
hear at this hour, in this place,
wash over her and everyone until
her mask slips finally.

Do you know any Tom Petty?
of course they do, they say.
So they both flip through their songbooks
and the woman smiles thoughtfully
and all is not right with the world,
but the bits that aren’t don’t matter
so much right now.

Oh, and they’re playing.