blattid intruder

in my favorite inexpensive thai restaurant i move to the right side of the table she is less likely to see the wall to her right i try hard to avoid a lull in the conversation and aim to be more scintillating than usual each time her gaze moves a few degrees to her right i make a dramatic exclamation i consciously avoid looking at the wall on my left though it’s difficult because I want to monitor its position as i silently pray for it to move behind her it seems like it can’t make up its mind as it moves first closer then farther from her peripheral vision it almost seems to be teasing me tormenting me we finish eating i’m waiting for the check i’m in the home stretch almost paid and gone but then she looks and sees the cockroach no more favorite inexpensive thai restaurant