Americans vs. Aneurysms - 4

By Eli Richardson

25
Goner

They bring out candles for her birthday dinner. The men have eggs poached in the microwave. She is appalled.

"Remember reading about electricity, Boy? That's how those eggs got hot in the microwave. It made their atoms shake."

"Like Mom's brain in the seijure?"

"Sei-zure."

"Sunny-side up."

He has potatoes with Tapatio. She, the French toast with Ranch dressing. The Boy eats the baby carrots with syrup.

"There's diversity, Boy. Look here, like nothing you've ever tasted."

The Boy looks to her for guidance. She throws her head back and snores.

"Don't do that. You know how it scares me."

26
The Princess and the Pea

She squirrels away little things. That's what the other one had called her. "Nutty." Then this one had out of the blue started using it. Her hand slips into a familiar place.

A knock. "You in there?"

"Yeah. Come in."

"It's so dark in here. Want this light?"

"No! Turn it off. Please."

"What you doing?"

"Going through some things."

"Good things?"

"All kinds of things. Do you miss old lovers?"

"I do miss some things; what we'd have if we'd stayed together."

"You don't have anything now? What am I?"

"I put you in a place, Honey."

Safe keeping.

27
Yay or Nay

He takes dictation. She cannot write. When she concentrates she jerks. Simple seizures.

"Dear Senator Kohl-Welles."

"Listen."

"Healthcare doesn't protect the injured. Due to chronic pain I had to quit working and lost coverage. My husband also had to quit to tend to me and lost his coverage."

"The man jacked us. I'm too poor for insurance and work won't pay for it."

"Insurance should be for when people need it. I was healthy when I was insured, but am unprotected when I need it most."

"My wife's dying and the state's been no help. How about you? Signed, Voters."

28
Financial Hardship

"You applied? Everywhere? For everything?"

"We going to make it?"

"Not at this rate. You need to get a real job. Who takes five years? We need insurance. We. Need. A car."

"Stop blaming me. Stop blaming me one hundred times a day."

"Are you saying it's my fault?"

"I faxed five applications today. I try. Beats me why I'm broke. But we've waited five years for you to be well. Ask if you need help."

"You need help? So I have to get a job?"

"Just show me where the work is. I'll apply."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

29
Blood and Country

She says to the t.v., "Thanks a lot Barack, for nothing. We need health care yesterday."

"We make 1500 phone calls to hire the Donks and they cut the student loan interest in half, but not for existing loans. They gave a break to the Generation Y slackers who didn't even bother to vote."

"It's the Mexicans. That's why DSHS cut my coverage."

"Don't blame the immigrants. Blame me. I do."

"Me too. No. I'm joking. It's a right wing conspiracy."

"Family values."

"Value the family."

"My Mom is passing me around like a shining example because I haven't cut and run."

30
Planned Parenthood

The Boy on her hip, she says, "We tried to do the right thing. You just can't live on one income. I have to work."

"How can you work with seizures? You can't fill out an application. I'll work harder."

"Work on being Dad."

On the sidewalk a string of kids goes by holding a rope. The Boy wants down and goes to the window.

"Rented parents."

"On weekends they get babysitters."

"There's a different dynamic between you two because I spend my day in a cubicle."

"You do more than any man I've known."

"I'm sorry it's not enough."

31
Snow Globe Confetti

"Your headache better?" He wipes steam from the bus window.

"It didn't go away until two."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." She turns off the tap in the kitchen sink and rubs a hole in the window.

"Did you hear my news?"

"I've been doing three things at a time all day."

"I know how that goes. Did you have any fun?"

"Hardly, it's rainy and cold out. We just finished waiting for it to go away."

"I got a raise. Half again as much."

"That's big."

"A drop in the bucket."

"Isn't life grand?"

Their windows fog over.

32
Involuntary Spasms

Traffic backs up as the taxi waits to turn. Someone honks.

"How much were the pills?"

"I didn't look. They're all crooks. The bank, the phone company, the doctors." Her phone rings.

"Come on," the cabbie says to the oncoming traffic.

"This is she," she says. "You were late. I had to go to the hospital. Right. I ordered delivery, but I called and said I'd be out. No we're not paying. Just bring it."

The Boy starts crying.

"No! I can't hold. Please!" She screams and throws the phone on the floorboard.

The driver hits the gas, horn blaring.

33
Life

He pays the fare, hands her the cane and helps her out of the cab. He puts The Boy on his shoulders. Everybody hugs for a moment.

"Sorry I'm so, you know. So much work."

"We're too young for this, but we're alright."

"We got each other."

He helps her onto the porch.

"But being treated like an addict is humiliating."

"Imagine not speaking English or having a cute boy to charm the pharmacists."

"No benefits sucks."

"What if I had a felony?"

"At least we'd have some money."

"Would you wait for me?"

"For as long as I got."

© Eli Richardson 2008

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