using the Heimlich at Katz's deli

i notice

the defibrator

at the back of the restaurant

in Katz's deli

in New York.

on the wall is a diagram

on how

to save someone's life

if they're choking. it's

a picture of

stick like

people doing the Heimlich

maneuver on someone

with mustard

on their face.

each menu comes with

directions on how

to compress a heart.,

delivering CPR.

then our

forty dollar

pastrami sandwiches

come out

each ten inches

high

and a plate of fries,

and i begin

to understand.

the nine inch pickle

alone

might kill us.