The Eternal Fountain of Youth

A woman revisits her youth for one last time.

Two nurses walk into my room, and without a word, pull down the sheets on the bed in which I lie. Yanking roughly at the soiled pad under my sore and blistered backside, the women stay silent while I groan in pain. Tears of shame stream down my face as I watch the soiled rag being thrown into a bin. Intrusive hands pull at my nightclothes and a sudden chill runs down my twisted spine as a cold, wet cloth is scrubbed up and down the front of my now-exposed body. My lips curl as I try to utter a plea for them to stop, to take a little care, but no sounds other than grunts come out of my mouth. I close my eyes to the humiliation of my situation and my mind drifts to my fountain of youth; a place I visit often.

I am young again- a mother of two small, beautiful children. I am waiting for my love to come home from the war. I feel the warm swell of joy rise in my heart as I anticipate the moment when we will be reunited. I sit still in that moment and concentrate on the vision of my children- those same children who are now grown rarely visit me in my new home. They have their own lives and I understand how busy they must be. I am jerked out of my memories as rough hands pull me into a sitting position. I scowl at the nurses for interrupting my reverie. They count out loud, and at the number three, lift me and plop me into my wheelchair naked. I feel a dress being pulled over my head and tugged down. My arms are lifted and shoved into the sleeves. Wearing no under-garments, I feel humiliated as they hurriedly shove my old slippers onto my cold feet.  I am rolled into the hallway where the bright light blinds me; no one takes notice. I close my eyes against the harsh fluorescent glare. There is not much to see here anyway.

My mind drifts and I am transported once again to the gentle waters of my youth. I will close my eyes to my current world in which I feel only pain and degradation. I travel back to my youth as I stare fascinated by the wonders of my environment. The green grass rolls in front of me. The sky azure blue is dotted with clouds, and the air is crisp and fresh. The sun is strikingly beautiful as it warms my body. I watch as the butterflies pass by and gaze upon the bounty of pansies that lie at my feet. I feel lighter as I start to skip towards a man clouded by a wondrous fog- it is my husband! He holds out his hands and tells me, "Come love, it is time to go home."