Family Values, a Poem

"A family is a risky venture, because the greater the love, the greater the loss... That's the trade-off. But I'll take it all." — Brad Pitt
FAMILY VALUES Nephew flinches as Uncle drops a fork onto a china plate. It responds with a quick high-pitched cry. Uncle grumbles, There’s dried dog food on these tines. The waiter steps away from an adjoining table where a young woman feeds a girl in a wheelchair. No excuse for this, Uncle says. The waiter offers to get him fresh silverware. Nephew sends the waiter a silent eye-rolling apology. He cuts his salad into small bites, his focus on beans and rice while Uncle speaks about how the nation has lost family values, allowing abortion clinics, gay marriage, welfare for fools. Uncle slices filet mignon and complains about the quality of his chardonnay. Uncle leaves a two-dollar tip. Nephew drops a twenty on top…