Sitting up on an unmade bed
The linen had been taken away
Nurse rushes to be everywhere
She’s needed.
My needle in the vein had
Leaked and the nurse repaired
The delicate bandage around:
Wrong shirt she said and placed
Another one ready for the OP.
It’s still early and yet I have
To wash
No need to hurry
Asked Franz to tie my shirt at
The back.
He’s the only one approachable
From the other three patients:
A Young Turk who is impatient
A taciturn neighbour who lies
In bed all day.
Waiting for an OP is part of
Hospital routine.
There are long waiting lists for
Operations
And at this clinic another routine
In place one will become part of
But not always easy to concur with.
Franz speaks his thoughts out loud
For preparing himself for another
Day
While I’m waiting to be wheeled
Into the operating room.
A year ago it had been quite
Different then.
One – there was a friendly welcome
Thru’ the head nurse
Second – she let me be part in a
Two-bed room
Where I encountered a talkative
Neighbour
With charisma and great humour.
Perhaps as I was later informed
This type of room is usually given
To patients with add-on insurance
That paid for the attentive services
Provided.
Well great.
The boy from a small village in the
Eastern part of Austria
Having done a round trip of Africa
To return and be cared for medically
At old age.
A story like many bur special thru’
The circumstances.
Maybe just now some more chapters
Will come to me.
zoltanzelan
ZJG-POetry’18.