The Big C

The growth on his head became obvious
when his thinning hair couldn't hide it.
He reached with his left hand
to touch it... it became familiar.

I insisted he go to the doctor
no more pretending it wasn’t serious.
He left with a sigh and a scowl
as much resentment as fear.

He waited for an hour and almost bolted.

When the doctor saw the purplish growth
he recognized it as cancer
and took a biopsy to determine
if it was benign or malignant.

We waited for ten days
however calm we pretended...
couldn’t sleep nights
the day came and we went in together.

The doctor said he was sorry
but we needed to make an appointment
for surgery as soon as we could.

We felt like we were falling through space
he could die or become an invalid
We were too young and didn’t want
either outcome.

Finally he went in for
an outpatient procedure
I sat outside with the kids
We waited for too many hours.

When he came out his head was bandaged in gauze
don’t ask me why but I said, "We need pictures."

When we got home he put on a hat,
a trench coat and sunglasses
and I took pictures of him as the "Invisible Man."

Next he took a black skirt
and wrapped it over his head
and said,"Look I'm Sister Devine."

We took more bandages and wrapped him like a Mummy
laughed so hard before he lay down for a nap
then slept for eighteen hours.

Those Polaroid shots we saved in a spot
where we look at them whenever we want.
We know we are brave because we laughed
in the face of cancer.