Do you remember the time I fell and hurt my back?

I’d just had knee replacement surgery.

Been home only a few days.

My bird cage needed cleaning, something

I should have done prior to going to the hospital.

My husband offered to help.

He changed the toys.

The seed and the water.

He pulled out the bottom tray

Dumped the detritus.

I came over to help,

Leaning on the walker my doctor had ordered.

When I reached out to change the paper in the bottom,

I lost my balance

Found myself leaning backwards

Backwards

Backwards

I tried to grab Mike’s shirt but missed.

The floor came up to hit me, spanking me

Harder than my dad had ever done with his belt.

I landed, so hard that pain radiated up my spine.

I recall collapsing onto the floor, crying out in pan,

Immobilized.

I don’t know how long I lay there.

I tried to sit up, but the pain was too much.

My husband went across the street and returned

With two strong young men

Who picked me up and gently placed me in a recliner.

You called then.

You heard my pain, my tears despite

My saying nothing.

You insisted I go to the hospital

When my husband had said the pain would go away.

Did I ever thank you?

X-rays showed a fractured vertebra.

Not so big that I needed medical intervention,

But enough that I felt reassured

That I had not imagined the injury.

That happened before you moved to Arizona.

I miss you so much.

That wasn’t the first nor the last time

You’d offered support.