Our Dynamic

The day was slowly turning itself over and giving into the cold lustrous hands we call night.

More customers come rushing in.

Squeaking the doors a bit more with each push.

My mother waltzes around from table to booth.

Customer to customer.

All with hunger clear in their eyes.

Some bellowing out deep laughs and chortles from their grandfather who can twist humor into just about anything.

Others are just there for a quick bite and linger longer in the toasty rooms before trekking out into the bitter cold.

The cooking from the kitchen forms swirls of strong aromas that escape through the thin slit on the door.

The door separating my family from the clinks of beer bottles and scrapings of the fork.

It all comes to an end as our Coca-Cola clock strikes ten.

Everyone’s out and we all slump down on the nearest chair, catching a respite.

We order food tonight.

All too tired to even start the stoves again.

Some reality TV show is on,

Our plates are filled,

And this is what makes having a family business worth it. 

We work like any other person 

But our dynamic is our own.

From the outside, we look like we get along just fine

But they don’t see the sweat or tears that mix together into their own beautiful harmony.

Nor the tiredness that lingers in our rich brown eyes.

We tough it out through thick 'n' thin

Because we are family

And the rare little moments where we all have dinner together 

Are the moments I will cherish in the heart

Because we’re all still here

Together.

Always and forever.