Americans vs. Aneurysms - 2

by Eli Richardson

8
Sand Box

His pants are already dirty and the laundry isn't even done.

"Why Mom have the procejure for her seijure?"

A weak Sun and windy.

"Mom has doctors telling her that's the best idea. That's all they got."

The Boy moves sand from one hole into another.

"Will procejure make her seijure feel better?"

"Hopefully. Come here. Your hands are blue. Here. Put these socks on your hands. They're all I've got."

A girl at the jungle gym butts in, "Weird. Why does he have socks on his hands?"

The Boy picks up his shovel. "It's the best idea Dad gots."

9
Nothing but the T.V. On

They finally are alone.

"I want my life back. This aneurysm is eating my dreams."

"Don't blame me."

"It's just later than I thought."

"The show's getting good. Like it's in slow-mo."

"Next it's curtains."

He has a red velvet box. Inside are footprints, an umbilical button, a baby well-ness check-up. That's about the time he loses it.

"Don't cry."

"You're his best friend."

"That's not true. You two will be just fine."

"I'm losing it. I'm mourning you."

"That's silly. I'm right here."

"That's why I miss you. I'm nothing without you."

"The Boy loves you."

"He loves us."

10
Strut Bussing

He's not smoking, that's why. That undercurrent of need. The quivering nervous; not knowing. Has he already had his last? That's a long time to sit, waiting. The 101 blazes into town; the freeway an artery. Feeding people. The skyline is jagged and insistent. Buildings jut like kings pointing their embers into the clouds. His fingers twitch; he blinks. On the knoll rolling out of the tree line is a turkey. At the offramp contemplating a crossing.

At home it is always loud. Mostly static. Women. Tending to the needs. Needing. The Boy swinging through the family tree. Family.

Cold turkey.

11
Punchline ER

Running in, the city looks pasted, the sky solid grey. A bum works the offramp. The car makes a funny sound.

"I'm not afraid to die."

"That’s a good attitude." Signaling at Boren. "Considering."

She pushes his button and rolls up his window. "Do you know how to get there?"

He puts his hands at ten and two. "It's a crapshoot every time. You take what you can. You want to hear a joke?"

"Not really."

"Dude goes to the hospital and doctors grab him and say, 'It's death or worse.'"

"Tough call.”

"The dude says, 'I'll take worse.'

12
ER Breakdown

"I'd be more afraid of being locked in a body and not able to do anything about it."

"I guess. What's it matter?" She checks her nails. Without looking, "This doesn't look right." Framed in the car window her head looks slanted against the background; like she's falling. "I'm in so much pain."

"Just over this hill Baby. What's that sound?"

"You put in transmission fluid?"

"I thought you did."

"The car won't go? We're on a hill."

"I know that."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know that."

"I'm this far. I'll walk."

"How can honking help?"

13
Death on the Dotted Line

Paperwork under the knife; signatures for vital signs. Laid out, florescent lighting; up to one in ten never get off the table. Typed tombstones flutter.

"Leave your stuff to me."

"Knock yourself out."

A woman with a hairnet ducks into the machines. "We need a guardian. In case."

"In case I die?"

"Us both. The end of the world is cumulative."

"Here's the anesthetic. Count from 100."

"Not yet."

"Say goodbye?"

"Not yet." She exhales like she's been holding it.

"Just in case?"

"Just smile."

"You ready?"

"86."

A guy with hairnets over his shoes begins to push her away.

14
Expect Delays

The painters went to lunch at noon. The Boy rolls their duct tape down the hospital corridor. It bounces off walls and wobbles. The Dad nudges it. The Boy gives chase.

"I see," checking his watch, “three possible scenarios."

"Snarios."

"Expected; the pain scares your Mom, but life goes on. Best; the procedure makes the headaches better and your Mom gets her life back."

"What's three?"

The duct tape rolls into the wall and falls over.

"Look at that guy, Boy. That's the doctor."

A man in scrubs approaches.

"About time. Hope you went gentle, doc."

The mask stays on.

15
Dr. Awkward

Somewhere in Holland a boy gives a dam his thumb. Beavers chew through trees for leaks. Stoners at Starbucks spill coffee and cannot staunch the flow. This one comes in looking like Gumby.

"We ended up using a stint across the neck of the aneurysm's sac. We used 150cm of platinum wire. That's a lot."

"I figured the stint from the time it took. What's the prognosis?"

"Good. She should have no problems."

"What about seizures?"

"That's not what I do."

"Will the headaches go away?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"That's too bad."

"It could be worse."

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