There are many of us
and all of us are different.
Some of us are maître d's
or waiters,
others prefer to be known as hosts,
restaurant managers
or front of house.
There is one thing
we all have in common:
we are proud to serve you.

There are many things
we do and yet more
that we know,
such as when to ask
and when to double check,
when to anticipate
and when to look back.
We remember
that you like sparkling water
on hot days and still water
when it’s cold.
Every day we go the extra mile
for those who come to us hungry
and most definitely thirsty,
perhaps bored, excited
or feeling a bit insecure, confident
or self-righteous,
on a first date
or on the last.
And we are there for all of them,
through our service.
What we do is complex
and can only be learned
to a certain extent.
But that is what our job is.
Maybe only for a time,
or, indeed, forever.