Author's Note The following is based on something that actually happened to my mother when she was in school.

Flu Season

Here I was again, outside the nurse's
big,
white,
door.
sick again with stomach aches and brain pains.

Three knocks and I could be set for life.
doing time in hard labor,
dishes,
garbage in the cafeteria,
maybe just be sick.

Raised eyebrows of disbelief
thermometer stuck, pulled, shaken
not stirred,
no temperature, sent back to minimum security,
prison of flu.

Hours...
stagger back to witches den,
what brew will she concoct of me?

Eyes wide and glossy as I crawl,
back seat of mom's warm car.
sent home with temperature,
103 degrees

copyright December 1992