The Worth Parked in a Valet

By Gaurav Parab

Heaven knows that I need this break

At a coffee shop holding some fancy shake

Staring out of the large window from in here

A large black car slowly turns to appear

 The parking lot is empty like my heart

As the valet rushes to the car with a start

 

Sir, you cannot park here

With the traffic- this nice car may interfere

May I ask you to park over there?

It is safe and out of the Sun’s glare

 

I sip my shake and see a rich man step out

His voice is loud yet he begins to shout

I will park where I damn please

Clean my car, here catch the keys

His friends come out after him

Arrogance filled up to the brim

 

Look down at my cup, full a moment ago

I again look out of the window down below

 

The little valet clears his throat without delay

Sir, I am doing my job, this is my parking bay

I request you again to move your car

The new spot is not very far

 

The rich man looks over him as if he was blind

He shouts, Are you out of your crazy mind?

Do you even know who I am?

You have done your bit, now go scram

 

The group laughs on its way to the coffee shop

The valet stands helplessly, unsure to start or stop

The big pride inside a small uniform

He has a duty to perform

 

He follows them into the coffee shop

 

The valet softly calls out from behind

Sir, please do not mind

But do not talk to me in that tone

There are things you have, and things you can’t own

My job is to make sure everyone parks right

Like yours may be banks or customer delight

The rich man turns around with fire in his eyes

Remove this pest from this shop, he cries

What sort of people you employ around here?

I park where I want to, isn’t that clear?

 

My heart is pumping fast to see what the valet will do

Has he bitten more than he can chew?

The valet looks at the manager, who looks resigned

The manager says, I am sorry the valet is out of his mind

 

The valet storms out of the coffee place

The faceless man, suffers a loss of face

As he walks by the car, he stops

Don’t do it, I pray, as my cup drops

The valet whispers something to the black sedan

A machine may perhaps understand more than a man

 

 I pay for the coffee and walk towards a shadow left behind

His birth, his pride, his duty undefined

I take his hand and tell him it is all right

You have won, for you had the fight

I saw everything, I explain

I hope the next time you will do it all over again

 

Mister, Am I so ordinary and worthless?

That my mind says no, but I have to say Yes?

 

I apologize to him for another man’s mistake

All I was in there was for coffee and cake

No you are not ordinary, I find my voice

The worth you choose is a matter of choice

That fool and his friends who laugh inside

Are not worthy enough to decide