the clatter of plates the click
of chopsticks dancing on the floor
as a guest unfurls their napkin

the napkin left in the back of the
booth and the wads of straw wrappers
intermingled with scattered rice

the smell of rice and ramen and
braised pork belly and tofu and
the stench of everything mixed
together in the trashcan in the back

these things are all I remember from
working in the ramen house