We were so close

Johnny removes the footrest

from his older brother’s wheelchair

allowing him to drop his foot to the floor

preparing to slide himself into bed.

    I could taste it.

Johnny removes the armrest

slides it under the desk & reaches for

the sliding board.

    That sucks, Donnie says

leaning left lifting slightly

Johnny pushing the sliding board underneath

leaving half on the wheelchair & half

on the bed already lowered as far as it

would go creating a downward movement

making it easier for sliding from wheelchair to bed.

    Same thing happened to me in football my senior year

Donnie places his hands on each side of his thighs, heaves,

pushes, then slides onto the bed & quickly braces himself

while Johnny picks up his legs at the ankles & swings

them up onto the bed. Donnie leans back on his elbows.

    I can’t believe we let ‘em fuckin’ score in the last two minutes

Donnie’s legs shake

becoming still he lowers himself onto his pillow

Johnny unlaces old hiking boots, scuffed

from before the accident, finds

the remote & places it beside the bed.

    We were so close.

he plops down in the wheelchair

surfs a few moments

then heads to bed.