and for our dining guests tonight we have on the menu
		----------------------------------------------------------

		if the cold-fizzy is the aqua vita
		of the parched and the stressed
		and if money won't make you happy
		but will stave off a certain death
		from cola withdrawal

		then forget the diner --
		if the caf-car prices have
		anything to tell.  besides:

		and for our vegetarian guests tonight
		we have on the menu -- vegetarian lasagna.

		and for our air-breathing guests tonight
		we have on the menu...

		and for our guests tonight
		in the throes of desperation
		we have on the menu silver bullets of pepsi
		no not even coca-cola
		warm for a dollar
		and a cup of ice on demand.

		suffering is clearly measured by solo plastic cups
		each saved each washed now clean now shelf-stacked
		each finger-musing amtrak in clearly molded relief.
		where else are you gonna get
		such vessels?

		i have six sufferings for going this way
		and four for going -- that.

		I could serve a formal dinner in my sunset diner
		for eight
		and still have two settings
		left over.

		one.  for those at sea.
		two.  for the terminally berailed.


			Marek Lugowski
			4 May 1997
			Chicago, Illinois