the polite

avec
breviloquent
moments
revealing the
underpinnings of
a latent
sociopath
(just take a bit longer
to look right in their
eyes),
muttering in the most
amicable way that can
be mustered,
the polite offer up
their assessment of
you---
“you are looking good!”
“have you lost weight?”
“so happy to see you here,
i wondered if i would”
&
the list of mentally rehearsed
slime rolls out the mouth &
down the chin,
like the proverbial butter dribbling
off the side of the proverbial
biscuit---
be a dear would you &
go to the kitchen to get them
a bowl to dribble into (if
they insist on continuing to
dribble) or if they are in a
rush to be somewhere,
a napkin or cloth
with which to wipe up---

muchas gracias.