My situation called for a tasteful approach
when his aggressive thrusting nearly
broke the table with all his weight on it.
I measured my responses, I thought,
with a history of the details of the table
and the decor, to provide a context
for the approach of his aggression
which was humiliating and did nothing
to illuminate the example of the taste
I exhibited with the decor I'd personally chosen.
I could sense in him a certain
longing for forgiveness so I saddled my opinions
with his longings in mind, using terms and
making associations that only he would make.
For instance: I made sure to use the phrase "scraping
the soft pallet with a tiny butter knife" which triggered
a shudder and blush around his neck without any
apparent removal of the soothing subtext
of the color pallet of the room.
So great was my resolve to show him
the restraint of my good taste that I seized
on the opportunity to wave
to the crowd below while making sure my
wristwatch sizzled in the light and the
the dispatch of sheen from my suit
made the subjects swoon for an instant.
It was pleasing to witness the spectacle
as it was witnessed by him. I would like to serve
as that medium to all in the realm of aggression.
I've spotted many who thrust or flare
and my approach was no less lean or severe than
the ones before. I'll note here: his thrusting halted
and the mechanism of restraint, once triggered
by my example, was heeded from that day forward.
