Some might say I have a cervical myelopathy Thanks to my mother's arthritis. In fact, what I have is Connie's bum neck. (She lurched in and out of clinic for weeks Before any of us realized she was actually, Finally, inconceivably, stone-cold sober.) I have Juan's motheaten knee. (He came in with the world's phoniest limp. I was already giving him enough Percocet To kill a horse. No more, I said.) It was quickly replaced, that knee. I think he mostly forgave me. I have Debra's dead hip And her gimpy hands And her battered, useless shoulder. Oh sweetie, I said. (I knew she was nodding out Bang! onto the sidewalk again.) Choices, Deb, I said. Choices. Like she really had a choice.
