from Toon River Anthology

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TRIXIE FLAGSTON

Life was static. I went from bed to bath to floor
And was carried places, sometimes crawling,
Sitting and staring. I watched my family stay the same
For year after year, decade after decade
Stuck in infancy, unable to talk, or walk
My only friend was the dog, and after a while,
He found somewhere else to be.
Mom was the only one who ever changed. Once.
She went from staying home to showing homes,
And didn't even hire a sitter or get my siblings
To pay any attention to me. So I stewed
In my filthy diapers, which led to a rash, which led to infection
And that led to a welcome demise.
My stone is under some trees. I stare at other stones
And never see anybody, and they don't come to see me,
Not even the damn sunbeam!
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Edited to add — That web page that tells you who you write like? I put this in it: "Ian Fleming."
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pills

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I was reading the information that came with my prescriptions. The side effects for Naprosyn included heart attacks and strokes, possibly fatal, with the risk increasing over time.

So I didn't take Naprosyn that day, or any day since. I'd already cut the prescription in half unilaterally, so this was just one more half. I think I may have had a bit of a bounce-back headache a day or two ago. One morning or evening, I'm not sure which, I was sort of aware of my sacroiliac area, but not unpleasantly so. The pain hasn't come back.

We'll see.
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