Check, Please! Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Those who believe,
A quality obtained...
Can be kept and yet replace,
Those who initiated that quality to please...
In the first place.
With a keeping of the same taste expected,
Fool only themselves.

It takes much more than a replacement to restore,
That which has been established...
Patrons served came to adore.
And the ones who ignore this,
Know very little about 'their' business!
But a lesson learned that is earned...
Eventually teaches.

'Excuse me...
But,
Is your chef on vacation? '
The one we admired for his presentation? '

~No we've replaced that chef.
We could not meet his demands or expectations!
And frankly...
His arrogance we could no longer accept.
We paid him his worth.~

'I see.
May we have our checks, please? '

~Would you like to select something else from the menu? ~

'Why?
Would that change the ambiance?
You've already destroyed that,
By taking our preferences for granted.
Check, please! '