Waiting Room # 2

through the  picture window a skeleton-like parking structure blocked most of outside

above the car warehouse in a margin of window-- a crystal-cloudless- blue sky

capped a hospital wing—lot of windows with drapes drawn against the sun--

patient rooms or offices who knows?

perhaps a parallel waiting room with people heading the other direction?

fifty-or so souls filled the chairs against walls and in the rows in-between

first people  to arrive, sat closest to the desk, families, friends,  talked

and   children,  bored with Fox looked at the sunlight squirmed in their chairs

wanting to be free running outside spreading their wings soaring through the small trees

new birds learning their song, learning to fly

a few patients gazed out at the  trees, just now giving birth to early buds

or gazed, really, into their inner world—their sanctuary

private, no families or friends, no Fox, only others with the same song sitting silently, lost inside

but cat-like ears tuned to the poly-phonemic tones in their name waiting for the signal to return

names spoken meant appointment or lab, perhaps answers to fear bound questions

busy waiting room,  usual Tuesday morning

regulars know without asking whether you are kidney or liver

newcomers endlessly think the question,  “kidney or liver?” when they look at others

mostly they are kidneys, first time attendees

the old-timers glance at them quickly returning to their solitude or family

the newest arrivals constantly look around,  avoiding  eye contact

wives, girlfriends, mothers, talking incessantly the room hums

a million unseen bees fill the otherwise silent void

a name is called too softly to lift passed the bees wing sounds

no one moves, but everyone looks, until the name is called again

loud enough this time for two to get up—same first name—and blush

trying to be polite in their personal nervousness their too soon end-of-life inner thoughts

both arrive at the counter and one returns looking at the floor

desperate for news they don't understand, “ Dr. How long do I have ?”

the answer comes in bio-chemistry-speak, labs, tests, results, shots, pills and kindness

the sun moves across the sky making the windows mirrors obscuring the building across the way

the waiting room empties slowly, when a name the soul moves, livers go left, kidneys go right

relief at the decision, action, movement, threads of birdsong from long ago

lift leaden arms, moving leaden legs