Just because I’m sitting behind my desk,
peeling aluminum wrappers off kisses,
savoring the chocolate as I would words
of a poem,
do not mistakenly think
I cannot write.

Just because we sat in a booth
at the Magic Wok,
having finished our buffet meal
& read our fortune cookies
& laughed like the fortunes were hilarious
& the other diners stared at us,

none of them seemed to have a clue
that we complete each fortune
with the words in bed.
I read mine aloud to you:
Your smile will tell you
what makes you feel good in bed.

You smiled & read your fortune aloud:
It could be better,
but it’s good enough in bed.
That cracked me up.
The waitress came to our table
& gave us two more cookies.

Even the kitchen staff came out
to hear us read. You read first:
Your fortune must be read aloud
to come true in bed.
We laughed like tickled kids.
I opened my cookie.

The waitress cautioned:
“The cookie must be eaten
for the fortune to come true.”
That reminded me that I always eat mine,
but you never do & neither of us ever
use the numbers to play the lottery.

I read:
Never give up unless defeat
arouses your companion in bed.
I whistled. You were silent
for a moment & then we laughed.
We got up. I paid the bill & you left the tip.