he cooks me breakfast
on the last day of each visit
before accompanying me
to the airport

dishes that fill the apartment
and permeate our clothes
with delicious smells
that linger for hours

this morning i left his car
trailing lumpia and fried rice

the previous time we rode BART
advertising chicken and waffles

i think i might protest
if he ever tried to send me off
with weak-scented meals
of porridge or pancakes or fruit