Famously Expert by Joseph Lerner

Our CEO makes a surprise visit to the little bistro I manage. (We’re tucked behind the deli/wine shop, a stone’s throw from crystal/glassware, home furnishings, diet/nutrition, and gardening/janitorial supplies.) He’s famously expert: ace plumber/mechanic, feng shui master, medical guru, world-class pastry chef. Today he demos the art of dishwashing: the rag held so, the hand’s circular motion, the precise degree of steam (now roiling everywhere, plates and glassware shattering in the wake). The busboy gapes, the waiter and line cook smirk, the sommelier, reddening, looks away. But the CEO, catching my terrified eye, winks: They never understand geniuses like us.

© 2011 Joseph Lerner

Joseph Lerner’s poetry and fiction have appeared or are forthcoming in 100 Word Story, Compass Rose, Furious Fictions, Gargoyle, Modus Operandi, Pif, PoetsWest, and elsewhere. He blogs at http://furiousfictions.com

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