Alan Fox

A STEWARDESS SMILE

Who does not enjoy the Snow White
glisten of a Stewardess smile.
Or, to be politically correct
a “flight attendant” smile…
but gender differences are real.

A recent study instructed that
a Waitress smile increased her tips
by 28% over less fawning service,
but a grinning waiter
collected nothing more.

In my office for years
I hung a pen sketch of two dogs
tugging at either end of
“The last false smile.”
I wonder where that went.

Perhaps it’s now on my lips
when I stroll into work each day,
pasted on my face so others won’t wonder
how I’m really feeling.
How am I really feeling?

—from Rattle #27, Summer 2007