when Moe's burned down

we used

to go to Moe's Diner

for

breakfast.

the four of us.

aging

buddies, all single now,

happily

divorced.

Betty was on the grille.

fat Al was

somewhere in the back

room

with the door closed

giving instructions

to a new

waitress. it was

greasy

food,

the ceiling was greasy,

the vinyl

seats

were slick with the grease

of ten thousand

strips

of bacon,

a million scrambled eggs.

the coffee was strong, and stale,

yesterdays,

but

how could we stop going.

this was home

away from home.

finally we

did

when at last it burned down.