Asking for a friend
Is there a graceful way to sidestep the story?
What started months ago as a slight nagging
catch when I fully raised that arm now
pops like a knuckle when I
spread my wings and try to
open my chest, a Tootsie Pop ball
jammed into a sesame encrusted
California Roll socket.
It must happen to others, right?
There will doubtless be dutiful
follow-up questions. Yes. It was all
consensual. Just a weird angle. We were
problematic in every way but this. I just
gave my joints too much credit, thinking I could
turn the elastic tricks of my youth.
“48 yo divorced female
presents with complaint of
pain and stiffness in L shoulder
due to ‘advanced yoga stretch’
Anxious demeanor and
patient’s BMI belie
claim of athletic endeavor as cause.
Refer to ortho. Consult with psych?”
Scar tissue does not argue, just
volunteers, laying itself down, clinging to
vulnerable connective ligaments, our
thinnest layers, before we know we need
protecting, creates passive resistance to
protest reopening our chest to
future injury too soon.
14 thoughts on "Asking for a friend"
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you’re a great story teller
even when not wanting to tell
the whole story is part of the story.
I relate
Thank you!
Love the metaphors and I do appoligize for giggling at “Refer to ortho. Consult with psych?”
Wonderful writing.
Nice shape.
I’m glad you giggled, that was the goal. Thanks!
Wonderfully funny and “understated.”
I assume this will be chosen for my anthology entry since it would be one I would not really want my kid or students to read.
That last verse is a wow!
Thank you!
love the indented doctor’s note stanza–the abbreviations, the question, the quotation, the clinical tone–as well as the surprising yoga stretch origin
Yes, the “yoga”. Thanks for reading!
This is so fun, Austen, and breezy. Reads beautifully. I mean “Scar tissue does not argue”!
Thank you, Bill!
Big ole’ retweet. Solidarity in the need for some collagen, a psych consult, and the right angle next time.
😂