The Dr. Together

We went to the Dr. together

Not one supporting the other

Both being seen

Technically my appointment

Was a half hour before yours

But they called our names

Paul and Tang-a

Incorrectly

You mumbled, they’re not here

Who wants to be weighed first?

I did, warning her

My clothes weigh five pounds

I registered 145

I whisper to you

I warned her

We walk by the height

Ruler

And as we are seated

I say, I guess you are assuming

Our heights have not changed

Instead of saying yes,

She said something I’ve forgotten

She read from her computer

Our numbers from before

From January for you

From September for me

Your glucose was one number better

Than mine, but you are medicated

She took your BP and it was low

Lower than mine

She wanted to know

If you usually ran low

You said no

And that you had been getting dizzy

Not something you had told me

My pulse was 48

She wanted to know

If my rate was usually low

I said I run marathons and stuff

You grimaced at that

Pretending to care if I saw you

Your pulse was almost as slow as mine

You whispered something like

I run too

She said she could use the old numbers

But the NP said no, she needed blood

I was glad to show off my veins

You began to worry

They needed blood for my prostate

She joked you had no prostate

You said something like,

It’s a well-kept secret

I suggested they might do you first

And let you get to work

She wanted to know if we

Needed notes to take to our boss

I said, no I don’t work until…

You interrupted and mumbled

He does not work

And I said until tonight

I was going to say until my

Class tonight

But I gave up

She drew mine first

No problem

And then I told her you

Had almost cried before

When they gouged you in vain

As she felt your arm

I leaned against the wall

And turned my head

She got it on the first try

I thought you might pull it out

From joy

She measured our waists

Gave me a script for Mobic

Gave you a reduced BP med

Because of your secret

Dizzy spells

She went to ask the Dr.

What to do

And came back and said

The Dr. said hi

You said, tell her

We said hi, too.

They decided to send me to PT

For my back pain

You got reduced meds

We checked out

You getting your six-month

Appointment

Out in the hot morning sun

We told one another to drive

Carefully

And we went our separate ways

Me to Walmart

You to work

Can you believe it?

We went to the Dr.

Together