"An arm and a leg!"...he bellowed a bray!
Such a clamor he made...over how much to pay,
To the peddler...outside of the air-con cafe,
Where we ate our dessert...from the dinner buffet.
The vendor, who walked in the heat...all the day,
Just smiled and said... "Mai pen rai. That's OK.
I am tired, with no money...to show for today."
As he gazed...at my half finished chocolate parfait.
At a loss he sold cheap...Resigned...Walked away.
I said to my friend..."You 'bout started a fray!
And you saved only...oh...fifty cents, by the way."
But deaf to my words...smugly grinned, "Power play!"
"I drive a hard bargain, huh!?...Gotta say!
Souvenir for my son...where's the waiter?"..."You! Hey!"
"Gotta run!...Can't be late! ...I must open and pray,
At the meeting...down at the church there, today."
"I got this!"... pulling out a thick wad, a cache,
Of thousand baht notes...proudly said, "Let me pay."
"Waiter! Check!...(stupid folks!)..." he grumbled away.
Twelve hundred Baht...not a blink...not a sway.
He paid for our meal at the air-con cafe.
This amount, for these "folks"...is a wage of three days.
"...could 've eaten much cheaper," I thought...no...I prayed.
He gulped down his drink...(his cold Perrier).
"God bless!"...(fake smile)...then he left...no delay.
I sat and I thought..."James...'Yield right-of-way.'
To Cornelius...the angel...'Give alms, always pray.'
David's son...'Help the poor...He'll reward you one day.'"
Up I jumped up...pierced, my soul...I ran out, the cafe.
"The man selling toys!...did you see him? Which way!?"
I asked the young girl at the wrist-watch display.
"I must find him and help him!" ...my guilt to allay.
I looked for ten minutes ...but to my dismay
I never did find him...he'd gone away.
But I will not forget my conviction...conveyed,
At that smorgasbord...there in the air-con cafe.
"You are blessed...You must bless"...He spoke...clear as day,
"Be kind to the poor...and be quick to obey."
Such a clamor he made...over how much to pay,
To the peddler...outside of the air-con cafe,
Where we ate our dessert...from the dinner buffet.
The vendor, who walked in the heat...all the day,
Just smiled and said... "Mai pen rai. That's OK.
I am tired, with no money...to show for today."
As he gazed...at my half finished chocolate parfait.
At a loss he sold cheap...Resigned...Walked away.
I said to my friend..."You 'bout started a fray!
And you saved only...oh...fifty cents, by the way."
But deaf to my words...smugly grinned, "Power play!"
"I drive a hard bargain, huh!?...Gotta say!
Souvenir for my son...where's the waiter?"..."You! Hey!"
"Gotta run!...Can't be late! ...I must open and pray,
At the meeting...down at the church there, today."
"I got this!"... pulling out a thick wad, a cache,
Of thousand baht notes...proudly said, "Let me pay."
"Waiter! Check!...(stupid folks!)..." he grumbled away.
Twelve hundred Baht...not a blink...not a sway.
He paid for our meal at the air-con cafe.
This amount, for these "folks"...is a wage of three days.
"...could 've eaten much cheaper," I thought...no...I prayed.
He gulped down his drink...(his cold Perrier).
"God bless!"...(fake smile)...then he left...no delay.
I sat and I thought..."James...'Yield right-of-way.'
To Cornelius...the angel...'Give alms, always pray.'
David's son...'Help the poor...He'll reward you one day.'"
Up I jumped up...pierced, my soul...I ran out, the cafe.
"The man selling toys!...did you see him? Which way!?"
I asked the young girl at the wrist-watch display.
"I must find him and help him!" ...my guilt to allay.
I looked for ten minutes ...but to my dismay
I never did find him...he'd gone away.
But I will not forget my conviction...conveyed,
At that smorgasbord...there in the air-con cafe.
"You are blessed...You must bless"...He spoke...clear as day,
"Be kind to the poor...and be quick to obey."