In the international food court at the hospital

The three young men and the woman
At the table next to us
Are eating Chinese
And speaking Arabic

Four Philippine caretakers
And their Jewish patients
Chat together in English
Over their coffee and Danish

And on the other side of us
A woman insists on speaking Hebrew
To her daughter, who answers in Russian
Over Israeli-style salad.

We, sitting silently
With our Greek spinach pizza
Are the only normal ones.