LEG EXAMINATION 1959

A 12 YEAR OLD GIRL HAS HER LEG STUMP EXAMINED IN A NURSING HOME IN 1959 BY A DOCTOR AS A NUN AND A BOY LOOK ON.

The doctor examined
Anne's leg stump
in the small room

Sister Paul was there
looking on
and the Kid was there
staring at the stump
he'd seen many times before

are you all right Benny?
the nun said

yes just looking
how the stump is doing
he said

Anne smiled at him
and then glared
at the quack
then the nun

seems to be healing well
the quack said
rubbing it gently
with his fingers  

well get your f*****g
fingers off now
Anne said
now you've seen it
and fingered it

Anne that is enough
bad language
sorry doctor
she has her
bad days

the doctor stared at Anne
not sure he'd heard
the words correctly
and reddened

o no problem
must be painful still
but it is healing nicely
he said
moving away from Anne
and her leg stump

he looked at Benny
your her friend?

yes her best friend
Benny said

my only friend
in this place
Anne said

the nun sighed
and the doctor
followed her out
of the room
leaving Anne
and Benny alone

glad you were there Kid
can't abide quacks
at the best of times
let alone when they're
fingering you leg stump
and peering up your dress

Benny stared
at the stump still  
sorry it hurts you
he said

pain's pain Kid
it's how you
cope with it
that matters

she pulled the red dress
over the stump
and said
pass me my crutch Kid
and lets get out
of this torture chamber
and go down to the beach
and sunshine and gulls
and sand and away
from this lot

Benny passed her
her crutch
and helped her up
and he followed her
along the passageway
as she crutched
at quite a speed

we'll go to the beach Kid
once I've peed

he waited
by the loo door
as she went in
and he wondered
if the f**k word
was a sin.