PUSHER, PUSH HER

skirt-suits, makeup face, lipstick paint, perfectly applied eyeliner,
white teeth, high heels, sculpted calves, blouses.
a company car-
an SUV with seats that fold down to make a spacious trunk
to fit pamphlets and cardboard-boxed samples
in foil-push-out-wrappers.
she's always such a pleasant doler-outer
parading around behind the reception desk
waving candy high above our heads
batting lashes at the male doctors
surface questions, plastic smiles, zombie eyes sparkle
in my nose and in my mouth
i taste her perfume.

 

patients keep shuffling in
reporting appointment times to women in rose-colored scrubs
women who keep shuffling papers
medical history, patient background information
shuffle shuffle shuffle.
healthcare policy number or lack-there-of
mostly the latter.

 

it's what makes her feel like a superhero-
helping the classes get the masses
of poison. for free.
but wait, that's not proper to call it so.
a tiny purple pill?
a white bouncing ball of joy?
yes yes, that sounds much better
much safer.

 

her heels keep clicking back there
on the cold, white n' sterile flooring
her bubbliness is making my stomache turn over
flip flop. flip flop.

 

just get into your car
just let us get our daily dose.
just let your floral scent
keep trying to mask the cyanide you left in your wake.

 

i'm thinking:
it would be funny
if on her way out to the car she tripped
on the freshly poured concrete
got a run in her pantyhose-
possibly broke the skin on her knee even
a bit of blood?
i wonder:
would she feel discontent and sad? a little blue?
would she dive into her stash?
but that damn commercial just keeps running through her head
 "side effects may include: headache, nausea, vommiting, diarrhea, insomnia,
dizziness, heart complications, liver problems,....
 people with such-and-such should not use, if you are pregnant, breast-feeding,..... blah blah

blah......"

 

on second thought.......
she'll just stick to soapy water and a band-aid.

Reviews

[Jaclyn]

Hrm...I think the pharmaceutical reps ARE evil sometimes....even though many meds seem to help, it seems as though there is a pill for even the most ridiculous diseases. It reminds me of that song by Lazyboy...I believe it is called "Underwear Goes on the Inside".

"I can't turn on the TV without thinking I have five serious diseases, like 'do you ever wake up tired in the morning?' Oh my god, I have this disease. Whatever this is, write it down, I have this disease....half the time I don't even know what they're talking about...there's people running towards each other through the fields....that is the greatest disease ever! How do I get that disease? That disease comes with a hot chick and a puppy."

I thought this was excellent. It wasn't in a true poem fashion exactly, but you've captured so much in your words...the shuffling papers, the plasticky perfection of the rep, the churning and flipping of your stomach when you see them....and I loved the ending, with the hypocritical rep deciding to use soap and water and a band-aid instead of the crap she's selling. Twisted genius. You done good, Rach.

[Anarda Nashai]

Well...I LOVE a good rant...and this certainly qualifies as such. Not just a rant, but some insight to help it along. Wonderful descriptors here. GREAT WORK!!!

-Anarda Nashai
author of Despondent
Check out my website at:
www.anardanashai.webs.com!

[A.J. Smith]

Wow, very interesting subject to write about, and very passionately, and creatively expressed! This line is a gem: "...just let your floral scent keep trying to mask the cyanide you left in your wake."

[Spoken]

I found it comical, i have a darker sense of humor... and having my experience in the medical field, one might wonder why I'm against medication as I am, this is the reason. I once had a person tell someone when explaining why they must pay their medical bill before they could see the doctor "well, you wouldn't be able to go to a store, put your groceries on the counter and say 'I don't have money to pay for these, can I pay you later?'" I cringed.. is this the message we are sending? Health is a commodoty, a luxery to those who have the money. Pills dispensed like candy.. precisely! I can't believe the things people go to the doctor for, so called "ailments" I never went to the doctor unless I was on my death bed! lol. Your flow is great, your imagery is very vivid. I very much enjoyed this peice, well done!

[Crystal]

This was a great rant! A great read! Okay, so maybe the truth hurts, but who among us hasn't heard the commercial and thought 'what the hell?"

helping the classes get the masses
of poison. for free.

That's my favorite line... it's not like anyone laying around in a drug induced coma can function enough to bring in sufficient enough income to support the habit, so by all means let us set up programs for these people to get it free, while elderly people are being told they can't have the meds the need to keep them alive?! Are you kidding me?!

I really like the way this is written. You have a great style!

[Brianna Brie]

"side effects may include: headache, nausea, vommiting, diarrhea, insomnia,
dizziness, heart complications, liver problems,....
people with such-and-such should not use, if you are pregnant, breast-feeding,..... blah blah blah......"

on second thought.......
she'll just stick to soapy water and a band-aid.

LMAO! I loved your ending. Why is it that the side effects are always worse than what was wrong in the first place? I am with you on this one. Yes, if I am dying I will take medicine, but I have to be on my death bed first. You can bet that I will try every other means first. More power to you for going out on a limb with this one. Excellent wording.

[Deborah Leah Krempa]

I take meds and I hate it, so I can laugh with you on this one, but I totally agree with you. Good work. Debileah

[Ryan Otto]

Never apologize for writing and feeling from the heart- it is almost always something someone else needs to hear, whether they like it or not.
You're right, we live in an increasingly paranoid and over-medicated society that seems to think all our problems, real or imagined, can be alleviated and/or cured by drugs.

[J]

Awk! you captured her perfectly! i think part of the job description is to make sure the patient feels COMPLETELY slummy [how come those women are always so beautiful?] great title ~ a little "push" is what i was thinking ......

the worst part tho, is the drug companies they represent ~ ever had to pay full price for those little poppers? now THERE i would do some grievous pushing.

love yer rant ~ there with ya sista.

[Greg Metcalf]

"always such a pleasant doler-outer" this is good stuff. No one should be offended. You're really speaking out against the system, but that wouldn't be as funny. You need an individual to focus our derision on. That's good satire. Meds are great for certain people who need them, but drug companies want to maximize their profits by convincing us we all need them. They ask questions everyone can say yes to like, do you ever have trouble sleeping? Then push push push. I enjoyed reading this.