the sun also rises on the others
the ones you don’t read about in many books
or see in many films
and if they do
it’s the ones they only do films about
with famous actors
who win gold gilded awards
and who earn millions
giving interviews about what it was like
to play an average person
to play a hopeless person
to act out a life going nowhere
to portray a character mired in a deep sadness
that only the truly common ones know
and only the truly great and famous actors
can capture
for our entertainment
the actors move on
they take up other roles
in romantic comedies
and in action thrillers
with smooth sleek stylish mobsters and robbers
but the common ones never move on
although they do have their places in the sun
cheap hotels in the Balearic Islands
all you can eat and drink deals
package tours on chartered flights
no bronze tans, just sunburns on muscled tattoos
or else on bodies left to their fate
lying on towels decorated with Welsh and English flags
on chaises stretched out around tepid crowded pools
with happy children in plastic floats
splashing and screaming
while sullen couples
suck down cigarettes and eat hot dogs and guzzle beers
before the night shows
of animators lip syncing Lion King
and they dress and they sit there and they quietly
even nobly
watch it all unfold
an incredible emptiness
silent faces weary of each other
turned to a fluorescent stage
old men drinking alone
on holiday
facing a glittery plastic décor
but noble
there’s nobility to this
others would turn or close their eyes
but they go through with it
the whole thing
they are aware of every weary thing
and they dress up for it too
in their way
and they drink their lipstick away
it’s the week they’ve saved up for
you see
there’s a ceremony to this
and what does it mean anyway
to be happy?
just get on with it
just be tough and get on with it
in the morning the waitresses hurry
they’re hard working people
they’re bused in from surrounding towns
their husbands have other work
or maybe none
the economy is bad now
but it’s work if you can get it
tough women, no nonsense
because a holiday resort is tough work
their eyes are sharp
searching left and right
looking for empty plates here
spilled drinks that need mopping up there
tables to clean up
tables to prepare again
it’s a three hour shift
one of the waiters is slow
he was born that way
and he just places the cutlery
that’s his job
but he does it with a fantastic smile
and he’s meticulous
and he does his job well
with pride
a waitress takes him aside
and gently corrects something of his
and he listens patiently, quietly
never losing his smile
then nods his head in assent
and carries on with his job
then breakfast is over
and the people slowly trudge out
sated
but nobody smiles
just the boy
still placing cutlery
after everyone’s gone.
