our waitress at the farm themed restaurant

wore a green john deere hat
and striped overalls.

as she leaned in
telling my year and a half old son
he was well mannered
such a cutie

my wife smiled with pride
and i tried to focus
on my eggs.

today

i went there alone.

sat in the corner
pretending not to watch her.

just go jack off in the bathroom
and get the hell out of here,
said a voice.

i imagined her
six months down the road
nagging me for a ring.

you're thirty
she might not even be eighteen,
said another voice.

i pictured my wife
alone in the rain.

but she slid the check on my table
and either our hands touched
or i imagined it.

but there was lightning

for the first time
in years.

by Justin Hyde