Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

                                       Out-Outpatient Surgery

A little happy pill along the way
A fuzzy memory of the waiting room
A bright fluorescent-lit consulting room
A slippery fake-leather patient chair

The nurse and I spoke of children and dogs
(Dang! That needle hurt!)
And about the rain outside this winter day
(Dang! That needle hurt even more!)

And the doctor spoke (of what?) (of what?)
Soothingly through the sounds of cutting flesh
Soothingly through the smells of burning flesh
And lengths of suture flying before my eyes

At home I took a happy codeine pill
While Randolph Scott rode across the TV
Nurses and doctors make you all better
Life is good