The first time:
Changing in the gym
wrapped in a towel when:
“Can you please replace these loo rolls?”
rings shrilly in my ear
I am so shocked
I drop the key to
my voice box
and neither my voice and I
can find it
as my eyes narrow themselves
to raging slits – tracking
the red-faced blond
as she scurries away

Another time:
A patient is ushered into
my room and Stops. Dead.
Confused and offended words
dance across his stricken face
and granite lips
My mood races after the plummeting room temperature
because my heart has now iced over
Later-I choose an innocent narrative for my family :
“He was just surprised I was a woman”

Another time
and another…and another…..

© Vivian Zems

Poets and Storytellers United

Weekly Scribblings #27: Things Were Different Back Then

Kerry’s prompt @skylover poetry – “An, Can”
One word from “enigmatic“