DROPPED OFF AT
THE BOTTOM
OF A SERIOUS
RAMP,
I CLIMBED ALONG
TO THE
WELCOMING CAMP
WHERE A
LOVELY LADY
SELF ASSURED
CHECKED MY
PAPERS
WITH MANY
KIND WORDS,
MOVING ALONG
THE ENDLESS
LINE
ALL THE USUAL
STUFF,
ADDRESS, CHECK
FEMALE: YES,
APPOINTMENT
CLICKED AWAY,
AND INSIDE
THE ROOM
BUZZING
WITH
ZOOM
THEY CHECKED
MY INSURANCE
(ANOTHER
GOOD CLEARANCE)
GUIDING THE
BODY
TOWARD
A DOOR
AT THE END
OF A
SHORT WINDING
BEND,
WHERE INSIDE
SAT A FEW
NICE LADIES
ARMED WITH
NEEDLES
AND GRINS,
WELCOMING
SMILES
AND A NICE
COMFY CHAIR
ALL SO
ORGANIZED
AND READY
TO BEGIN,
I CHOSE
THE RIGHT
ARM
AND SLIPPED
OFF MY
JACKET
LIKE THE PRO
IGNORING
THE RACKET,
NOT REALLY
LOUD
BUT THERE
WAS QUITE
A CROWD
ALL OF US
SITTING
SO STILL,
AND FIVE
SECONDS
LATER
THE DEED
WAS DONE,
WITH A QUERY
ABOUT MY
REACTION
GAINING
UP TRACTION
TO MAKE
MY DEPARTURE,

THEY GUIDED
ME TO THE
FANCY ROOM
A VERSION OF
DIVERSION
FOR THE “SAFETY
TIME”,
FIFTEEN MINUTES
FOR MY CRIME,
AND SITTING AMIDST
THESE OTHER
FOLKS,
EVERYONE DIFFERENT
WITH SMILES
AND STROKES,
I WONDERED
WHAT NEXT
AND SENT OUT
A TEXT
TO USHER MY
DRIVER
TO COME,
AND OFF WE
WENT
TO THE BIG
OLD GATES
OUT TO THE
HIGHWAY
(COULDN’T WAIT)
THINKING OF
HOW, WITH ALL
THAT POWER
THE QUESTIONS
MOST ASKED
WERE ABOUT
MY FLOWERS
SO FRESH
AND NEW,
IN LOVELY
BRIGHT COLORS,
THEY SET
ME ASIDE
FROM MOST
ALL THE OTHERS,
WHILE FIVE
MINUTES
LATER
I STRIPPED OFF
THE MASK
CHANGED
INTO MY WALKING
SHORTS
READY TO BLAST,
WONDERING WHY
I THOUGHT IT
WAS SCARY,
THIS SIMPLE
SWEET POKE
TO SAVE ME
FROM COVID,
AND REACHING
THE CREST
OF THE ROAD
ON MY WALK,
I THOUGHT
TO MYSELF
IN A SECRETIVE
TALK
OF HOW THINGS
WILL CHANGE YOU
AND STILL
REARRANGE YOU,
WAITING FOR
THE END
OF THE WORLD!

©JW WINSLOW 3/1/2021