The waitress in this poem takes great pleasure in pouring my uncle's coffee. In her mind, when she sees him she automatically relates him with the two easy eggs and a single pancake. He is well known to her. Uncle is a regular here. He loves this place and sits in his favorite booth. He feels as comfortable here with his eggs, pancake and coffee as he does in his own home.
He is an immigrant from an iceless region. He is somewhat obsessed with water and ice, particularly with how drinking ice water makes him feel. He wants to share his feelings with everyone. He seems to have been deprived of this pleasure as a child. The simple moisture of the water in his mouth, the coolness the ice gives it and the clink of the ice on the sides of glass gives him great comfort. He feels safe.
Uncle is pristine in his daily white shirt. He is always wearing a freshly pressed white shirt. This makes him feel important. It makes him look important to the rest of the world. He is a peaceful man and rejects the lies the media spreads as they discuss one country versus another. It seems to him that the hard working immigrants never are able to get ahead. They do the hard work and get little appreciation or pay for their efforts. He longs for his homeland, but fears he may never return.
He has longed for the playful, carefree relationship that other couples had with each other. But, he has never been able to relax enough to form that easy relationship with anyone. He still longs to go "home."
When the final preparations were made, he happily yet reluctantly says good bye to those he leaves behind and returns to his homeland and final resting place. In his honor, we return to his favorite booth in his favorite restaurant and "we had to order something or nothing will come." (pg.101)
No comments:
Post a Comment