PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

Everyone called him Pearl

He had his old food truck

This was an old school roach coach

but in fairness

I never saw a roach on his truck

Old Pearl made the rounds

hitting all the small warehouses

and factories in industrial parks

He showed up at our place

both breakfast and lunch

a fried egg sandwich with sausage

always in order for the morning

a meatball sandwich or cheesesteak

fit the bill for lunch

and hungry plebes couldn’t be picky

waiting for the break whistle to sound

This was a true grease truck

before Anthony Bourdain rode in

and glamorized food trucks;

barely evolved from the chuckwagon

The sandwiches were hit or miss

We jokingly called them Pearlables

Pearl was a hustler; fast talking man

who talked a good game

sold a sandwich not nearly as good

took full advantage

of the limited time we had

There was also laziness to blame

as some of us couldn’t be bothered

to pack our own lunch

and have that homemade hoagie

We heard the bell ring

and hunger pangs were striking

too much coffee without food

invokes intense grumbling in belly

Sometimes the sandwiches were good

Other times not so much

Mostly they were just average

and provided adequate sustenance

to get through the work day

I never once got sick

although I often butted heads

and often criticized Pearl

but all in all, I have to say

he was a pretty good guy

earning an honest buck

It was never gourmet

and never the quality

you get from food trucks today

but he did get me thru

quite a lot of rotten work days

and that has to be worth

at least something in this world