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# A Crewman Song
- URL: https://www.fsm.ink/a-crewman-song/
- Published: 2025-08-31T17:00:30.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-03T17:46:23.000Z
- Author: Staff
- Tags: Poetry, #Import 2026-08-03 09:59

*by Caleb Yuan*

“A Double Quarter Pounder Cheese no onion extra  
pickle”, the screen on the far side of assembly line  
dings. Red frozen patty falls flat on the darkened,  
finger-burning grill – 85 seconds later it will come  
out brown and oily (like the floor).  
  
Beep, beep, beep  
  
Bathed in sweat and grease, I run to the frying station,  
tear through a bag of cold and gold McNuggets, drop  
it in the oil along with the metal basket, and slap the button;  
“1” is nuggets, “2” is McChicken, “3” is chicken tender,  
“4”-ever is how long my shift is, 5-6-7-8-9 pm until Hell ends.  
  
Dee-doo-dee-doo-dee-dooooooo  
  
“I need a filet FRESH!” My manager Angel peeks her head out  
behind the soda machine. She is not so friendly after a 10-hour shift.  
The brown paper bag is the Damocles’ Sword, demanding a combination of steamed  
bun (why?), half slice of American cheese, a drop of  
tartar sauce, and a FRESHly made square-shaped fish.  
  
Wait, did someone say they need a dozen of cookies?  
“Where the hell are your blue gloves Caleb???” (Eh, I forgot).  
46 seconds left on the grill. “Reg Meat!!” An empty  
yellow tray flew across the assembly table. Unfortunately,  
“Regular Meat Patty” will not cook itself, and the poor 16-year-old trainee  
is still figuring out how to open a bottle of mayo.

“Hey Caleb! Where are my dozens of cookies????” Shit.  
  
“Fuck this, I’m going home!” Oops, and here goes  
my backroom comrade Katherine – I think she is  
out of cigarette. I peer at the camera screen at the  
cash register – cars cramming at the drive-through,  
formulating a streamline of never-ending desire  
and hunger to fulfil.  
  
Doo-doo-beep-beep-dee-dee-beep-beep-doo-doo-doo-dee

The quarter is coming  
out, the nuggets are coming out, the steamed buns are  
coming out, and my  
$9.50 essential-but-not-so-essential-worker-wage  
is coming out. Do you  
know what is NOT coming out?  
The 23 McChicken add cheese and 100 pieces McNuggets.

> I am a recent graduate from Lawrence University with a Psychology & Creative Writing Major. ChatGPT describes my poetry style as “philosophical free verse with introspective depth and existential metaphor, blending raw emotional honesty with moments of surrealism and ironic tenderness.”