The Art of Psycho Therapy...

Mom got mugged in 1976...

Mom would visit me at Children's Hospital in Boston.
I had my chest cracked and there were tubes draining blood from my chest.
Mom came late that day she got mugged.
I asked her why her hair was messy.
She said nothing and gave me a Mona Lisa smile.
I told her I felt a lot of pain and I wanted more pain medication.
She went to ask a nurse.
She came back and said the nurse would give me something.
Her hair was combed.

"You combed your hair?" I coughed and that hurt a lot.
Mom smiled, "I spoke to the nurse first."
I looked at mom more closely...
She had a bruise on the right side of her face, "What happened to you?"
I tapped on my face.
Mom looked over at the nurse as she brought some pills.
After the nurse left mom told me she had been mugged on the Red Line subway.
I hit the metal guardrail on my hospital bed.

"Mother f-ers!" I wanted to situp but I couldn't.
She said she had used the hospital phone to call dad.
He was working nights at the Postal Annex in downtown Boston.
Dad also taught English at Cambridge Ringe and Latin Highschool.
I felt a cold rush across my face.
Dad had a hot temper which he kept locked up most of the time.
Mom would pick dad up after work in the station wagon.
He would have to call a cab.. Oy.

Tick-tick went the clock beside my bed.
Dad arrived at 11:00 pm..
"Where were the police?" he asked flatly.
He looked at me and smiled, "You should have those tubes out tomorrow."
I smiled back and gave him a thumbs up.
Dad took mom into the hallway.
"You will not ride the subway again," he stated.
"I should visit him," she replied softly.
Dad bellowed, "You will not ride the subway alone!"
The police arrived in the hallway.

Reflections~I remember seeing a red moon with smoke rising in front of it.

Vertago