Charles A Perrone

Commencing the Winter Season

 

When the temperature dropped to a certain degree

our champion of proud pedigree and free wardrobe

proceeded to an infrequently accessed metal closet

to retrieve his sorry excuse for a willing winter coat

from which he would extract a series of related items:

first from the left hip pocket a still yellow bell pepper

then from the right pocket a sizeable brown mushroom

and in the chest pocket some sort of portable pastry on

an intact cloth napkin with one bite having been taken

The act concluded with the presentation of the contents

of the interior pockets: a trio of small service-dog vests

obviously without their designated sad humans in need

but definitely with a provocative unexplained presence.

 

Third Session

 

OK, let's try something else:  contemplate the meanings of "doctor" for you,

in your personal work history. From the very beginning to today, right now.

I told them that coincidentally my very first job, before I could even drive,

was distributing hand bills door to door for a local outfit named TV Doctor.

No television or repair did I myself ever get but they did have to send me

to a medical doctor concerning rabies after both black-and-white and color

dog bites on my ill-fated route.  I saw many other MDs for non-canine things.

Many episodic years later I'd work for a nice neighbor willing to take chances

on an unproven product. He told me he had fancy degrees and worked at a college.

It was weird to be called doctor this and doctor that in person and on the phone

when he was actually a Ph. D, a doctor of philosophy, as he tried to explain it.

His specialties were like the History of Medicine and of wine-making. I can relate.

Here, I call the guy who most often talks to me "Doc" or "Doctor" but he insists

I should call him by his first name, to be more relaxed and comfortable, both of us.

I can't really remember his given name but ti's something foreign like, maybe Telly.

I keep thinking he might be able to make me feel better if he were to fix me up

like the MD the TV Doctor sent me to see back in the dog days of that fine summer.

 

                          Anniversary Surprise

 

I had gone sixty years without this happening.

Could I now go for an additional 60 minutes?

That's how long remained in the current year.

Everyone has a different idea for an apt gift.

Lean down to grab the little dead rodent that

the frisky calico cat had brought in to give me

only to be stunned by a sudden defensive bite.

Sharp gopher teeth sure can puncture fingers!

This wee creature is so good at playing dead.

And not even my shouts of pain scared it away.