i am telling otto orf
that tempeh is basically
fermented soybeans
as he is chewing
curried cauliflower
at a foodnotbombs serving
he says ‘i achieved
minor celebrity status
up in cleveland
as a soccer player'
and throws his thumb
over his shoulder, as if
pointing to cleveland
i say ‘cleveland crunch'
he says ‘i can't
give up my meat'
we allow silence
i imagine ellipses
floating from his lips
he says ‘so you are
the spokesperson'
lisa says ‘eh no.
we don't have one
really'
jen says
‘autonomous group'
greg says ‘factory farms'
i am nodding
but not too hard
otto is listening
i try to look at him
‘harder'
he has a ponytail
and his arms
are crossed
his face seems kind
he gives us five dollars
and says ‘if my wife comes back
tell her i'm at the loft
knocking back a few'
and chuckles
and looks around
in such a way
that implies
a dense disconnection
with his immediate environment
we understand this
he walks away