the fairest one of all

I wanted the morning to last so I went to a place where they serve breakfast all day. I usually wouldn’t spend the money. Usually I’d just wolf down a hot pretzel for 60 cents and have it done with, being thrifty and all. But there I was drooling for a fried egg, sunny side up. The Germans call it the “Spiegelei,” or “mirror egg.” Why that I don’t know. I’ve tried it. I got down real close to the yoke but didn’t see myself there, even when I closed one eye and squinted. Anyway, the cook arranged two fried eggs on a rectangular plate alongside three crescents of ham. Perhaps not unintentionally did this arrangement resemble leaves around two flowers. Come to think of it, these eggs might more aptly be called “daisy eggs” rather than “mirror eggs,” whatever language we’re in. Three sprigs of parsley were splayed on top, green and flat as the lawn outside a pharmaceutial company headquarters. They were really beautiful. I considered taking them home and reusing them, thrifty as I am.