My first boss was
a restaurant owner
named Michael
who lived with a woman for years
and years but did not marry her
I heard long after
my waitressing days were over 
she kicked him out–dumped his
desktop computer on to the street
the story was

Michael approved of my work eithic
hired my best friend without
meeting her when I said she was
just like me
told me that the best thing I would
learn from waitressing was
I wouldn’t want to do it forever
go to college, he said
always proud of me
always curious about me
quizzing me on the Bible, confused
how I could attend a Christian
college but not want to be a priest

he was always kind, and when he
died suddenly, well after
the restaurant had closed, 
I lived states away and
I felt sad, imagining him standing
in the road, looking down
at his computer 
in pieces
on the sidewalk